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Siege of Almería (1157)
Part of the Reconquista
The citadel of Almeria
Date January – August 1157 Location Almería Result Almohad victory
Belligerents
Almohad Caliphate	Kingdom of Castile Kingdom of León Republic of Genoa Taifa of Murcia
Commanders and leaders
Abu Sa'eed Ahmed bin Milhan (defected) Abdullah bin Sulieman	Alfonso VII of León and Castile Muhammad ibn Mardanīsh
Strength
Unknown	Relief force: 12,000 Castilian knights 6,000 Moors
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Heavy

The siege of Almeria was a successful attempt by the Almohads to capture the city of Almeria from the Christians in 1157, who had captured the city a decade ago. The Almohads expelled the Leonese and Genoese garrison and repelled a Castilian attempt to relieve it.

Background

After the capture of Granada by the Almohads in 1156, they turned their eyes to capture the city of Almeria. The city had been under Christian control since 1147. The Christians decided to take advantage of the political turmoil in Andalusia and the fall of the Almoravid dynasty. They launched a Crusade against the city with land and naval forces. The Christian kings of Castile, Leon, Aragon, Navarre, and Catalonia. They were supported by Genoa. They besieged the city for three months and captured it in October 1147.

After consolidating their control on Cordoba. They turned their eyes to Almeria. The Christian presence in the city threatened their naval transportation in the area and after the capture of Granada, they saw the right chance to restore it. The Almohad Caliph, Abd al-Mu'min, dispatched a reconnaissance force to Almeria and discovered that Almeria's garrison was small and defenses were weak.

Siege

Upon this, a large Almohad force led by Abu Sa'eed marched towards Almeria accompanied by an Andalusian force led by Ahmed bin Milhan. Abdullah bin Sulieman led an Almohad navy from Ceuta. The Almohads besieged the city from land and sea and began setting up the Trebuchets. Abu Sa'eed camped over the hill overlooking the town built a wall on this hill down to the sea and dug a trench before it. The Genoese and the Leonese garrison launched a sortie outside but were driven back. The Almohads drove the garrison into the citadel and besieged them. The garrison had already messages for help.

The Castilian king, Alfonso VII, learned the news and hurried himself to relieve the besieged with an army of 12,000 knights supported by 6,000 Muslims of ibn Mardanīsh. During the siege, a quarrel between Abdullah bin Sulieman and Ahmed bin Milhan ended with Ahmed defecting to Ibn Madanish. The Almohad siege lasted for months, and the King's attempt to relieve the city was repelled. The King and Ibn Mardanish withdrew frustrated, leaving the city's fate to the Almohads. The garrison was exhausted so they surrendered in exchange for their lives which they agreed.

The city fell in August after a siege of seven months. The garrison returned to their homeland by sea. The King died on August 21 on the road to Toledo while Ibn Mardanish returned to his territory. Inside of Almeria, the Almohads captured many machines of war.

References

1. Muhammad Abdullah Enan, p. 346
2. Donald Sidney Richards, p. 91
3. Muhammad Abdullah Enan, p. 346
4. Muhammad Abdullah Enan, p. 346
5. Donald Sidney Richards, p. 91
6. Peter Fraser Purton, p. 242
7. Muhammad Abdullah Enan, p. 346
8. Muhammad Abdullah Enan, p. 346-347
9. Peter Fraser Purton, p. 242
10. Donald Sidney Richards, p. 91
11. Juan Ortega y Rubio, p. 40
12. Juan Ortega y Rubio, p. 40
13. Muhammad Abdullah Enan, p. 347
14. Donald Sidney Richards, p. 91
15. Muhammad Abdullah Enan, p. 347
16. Peter Fraser Purton, p. 242

Sources

• Muhammad Abdullah Enan (1964), The State of Islam in Andalusia, Vol. III: The Era of Almoravids and Almohads, Part 2.
• Donald Sidney Richards (2010), The Chronicle of Ibn al-Athir for the Crusading Period from al-Kamil fi'l-Ta'rikh. Part 3.
• Peter Fraser Purton (2009), A History of the Early Medieval Siege, C. 450–1220.
• Juan Ortega y Rubio (1908), Historia de España, Vol II.

• Conflicts in 1157
• 1157 in Europe
• 12th century in Castile
• Sieges involving Castile
• Sieges involving the Almohad Caliphate
• Battles involving Castile
• Battles involving the Kingdom of León
• Sieges involving the Republic of Genoa
• 12th century in al-Andalus
• Sieges of the Reconquista