Battle of Fahs al-Jullab facts for kids
The Battle of Faḥṣ al-Jullāb was a big fight that happened on Thursday, October 15, 1165. It was between the Almohads, who were invading, and Ibn Mardanīsh, who was the king of Murcia.
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Why the Battle Happened
In the summer of 1165, the Almohads decided to attack Ibn Mardanīsh. Their army was led by two important brothers, Abū Ḥafṣ ʿUmar and Abū Saʿīd ʿUthmān. These brothers were related to the Almohad leader, Caliph Abū Yaʿḳūb Yūsuf.
The Almohad army started by taking over Andújar in September. Then, they moved through places like Galera, Caravaca, Baza, and Sierra de Segura. They also captured Cúllar and Vélez as they got closer to Murcia.
The Armies Involved
Ibn Mardanīsh gathered all his available fighters. He also asked his Christian friends from the Kingdom of Castile for help. His own army was made up of soldiers who were paid.
The Almohad army was a mix of different groups. It included Berbers, Arabs, and even slaves. The main part of their army was made of Berbers from a place called Tinmal. Other Berber fighters came from the Harga and Hintāta tribes. Arab fighters, mostly from the Banū Hilāl clans, had also joined them from Marrakesh in July.
The Battle of Faḥṣ al-Jullāb
Ibn Mardanīsh went out to defend Lorca. He met the Almohad army, which was coming from the castle of Vélez. The battle took place about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Murcia. It was near Alhama in a valley called the Guadalentín. The exact spot was known as Faḥṣ al-Jullāb, which means "the merchant's field."
Ibn Mardanīsh and his soldiers were defeated and had to run away. The king found safety inside the city walls of Murcia. After their victory, the Almohads took valuable things from the countryside. However, they couldn't break into the strong, walled city of Murcia.
News of the Almohad victory was sent to Seville and Marrakesh. The message reached Marrakesh on October 31. In these letters, the Almohads compared their win to the Battle of Dhi Qar, an old battle where Arabs defeated Persians long before Islam.
After the Battle
After the battle, Abū Saʿīd ʿUthmān went to Córdoba. Abū Ḥafṣ ʿUmar took most of the army back to Marrakesh. There, the Caliph rewarded his soldiers. Each soldier received a turban, a cloak, and a piece of linen fabric. Every cavalryman got 20 gold coins called dīnārs. The leaders of the Almohad and Arab troops each received 100 gold dīnārs. The names of all the brave fighters were written down.
Where We Learn About the Battle
Even though some Christians fought alongside Murcia, we only know about this battle from Muslim historical writings. Some of the important books that describe this battle include:
- Bayān by Ibn ʿIdhārī
- Mann by Ibn Ṣāḥib al-Ṣalāt
- Takmila by Ibn al-Abbār
- Zād by Ṣafwān ibn Idrīs
- Muʿjib by al-Marrākushī
- Wāfī by al-Ṣafadī
- Anīs by Ibn Abī Zarʿ
- Kāmil by Ibn al-Athīr
- Iḥāṭa by Ibn al-Khaṭīb
- Nafḥ by al-Maḳḳarī
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Fahs al-Yallab para niños
