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The battle of Alamin was a military engagement in 1131 between the Almoravids and the Castilians at Alamin Castle near Escalona. The Castilian force was ambushed and destroyed.

Background

Almoravids continued to harass Toledo under the Almoravid prince, Tashfin bin Ali, the son of Ali ibn Yusuf, who governed Al-Andalus from Gradan in the years 1128–1138. The Almoravids took Colmenar de Oreja as their base in the east and Calatrava la Vieja in the south. Almoravid forces raided Tagus and tried to isolate Toleda; however, they did not attempt to hold on to the forts they captured; instead, they destroyed them. At the south, Calatrava was governed by Al-Faraj. Another Almoravid commander, Ali, was governor of Santisteban del Puerto.

Battle

In 1131, the two generals launched a raid against Toledo with a cavalry force. They made their way to Toledo secretly at night and began setting up ambushes in the outskirts. In the early morning of the next day, a few Almoravid horsemen appeared before the castle of Alamin, near Escalona. The Almoravids made a ruse, attempting to steal cattle in the countryside and flee to provoke the Castilians. The governor of Toledo, Gutierre Armíldez, who was at Alamin Castle, set out with a force of 40 knights to pursue them. The Almoravids emerged from their positions and ambushed the Castilians. A fierce battle ensued. Gutierre Armíldez was killed alongside the majority of his men. Another notable knight, Muño Alfonso, was captured alongside others.

Aftermath

Muño was sent to Cordoba and imprisoned, but days later, he was able to ransom himself with gold, silver, horses, and many weapons. Muño would be notable later in waging campaigns against the Almoravids.

References

1. ^ Derek W. Lomax, p. 87
2. ^ Richard Fletcher & Simon Barton, p. 211
3. ^ Antonio Pérez Henares

Sources

• Richard Fletcher & Simon Barton (2000), The World of El Cid, Chronicles of the Spanish Reconquest.

• Derek W. Lomax (1978), The Reconquest of Spain.

• Antonio Pérez Henares (2016), El rey pequeño.

• 1131 in Europe
• Conflicts in 1131
• Battles of the Reconquista
• Battles involving Castile
• Battles involving the Almoravid dynasty
• 12th century in al-Andalus