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Revision as of 20:36, 27 November 2005
The battle of az-Zallaqah (October 23, 1086) was a great victory of the Almoravid Yusuf ibn Tashfin over the forces of Castilian King Alfonso VI.
Yusuf ibn Tashfin replied to the call of three Andalusian leaders (Abbad III al-Mu'tamid & others) and crossed to Andalusia with 7,000 warriors from Almoravides. He marched with his army to the north of al-Andalus till he reached az-Zallaqah. The army of Almoravides accumulated warriors from every place in al-Andalus and his army reached 30,000 warriors. Alfonso VI of Castile reached the battle ground with 60,000 warriors. The two leaders exchanged messages before the battle. Yusuf ibn Tashfin offered three choices to the enemy: convert to Islam, to pay tribute (jizyah), or battle.
Alfonso VI chose to fight against the Almoravides. The battle started at Friday at dawn by attack from Alfonso VI. Yusuf Ibn Tashfin divided his army into 3 divisions. The first division was lead by Abbad III al-Mu'tamid and consist of 15,000 warriors, the second division consist of 11,000 warriors lead by Yusuf ibn Tashfin and the third division were 4,000 black African warriors with Indian swords and long javelins. Abbad III al-Mu'tamid and his division battled with Alfonso VI alone till the after noon, then Yusuf ibn Tashfin and his division joined the battle and circled Alfonso VI and his troops. Alfonso's troops panicked and started to lose ground, then Yusuf ordered the third division of his army to attack and finish the battle. The casualties of Alfonso's troops were tremendous (more than 59,500 dead). Only 100 knights made it back to Castile. Alfonso VI survived the battle but he lost his leg.
The battleground was called az-Zallaqah (in English Slippery ground) because the warriors were slipping all over the battle ground because of the tremendous amount of blood shed this day.
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