Battle of Simancas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Simancas |
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| Part of the Reconquista | |||||||
 Map of the Caliphate of Cordoba circa 1000. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Kingdom of León |
 Caliphate of Córdoba |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Ramiro II of León Fernán González of Castile García Sánchez I of Pamplona |
Abd-ar-Rahman III | ||||||
The Battle of Simancas (also called Alhandega or al-Khandaq) was a very important battle that happened on July 19, 939. It took place near the city of Simancas in the Iberian Peninsula, which is now Spain. This fight was between the Christian army led by King Ramiro II of the Kingdom of León and the Muslim forces of Abd al-Rahman III, the ruler of the Caliphate of Córdoba.
This battle was a big part of the Reconquista. The Reconquista was a long period when Christian kingdoms in the north of the Iberian Peninsula tried to take back land from the Muslim rulers in the south.
Contents
The Battle of Simancas
The Battle of Simancas was a major event in the history of medieval Spain. It showed the power struggle between the Christian kingdoms and the Muslim Caliphate. The battle lasted for several days and had a lasting impact on the region.
Armies Gather for Battle
The conflict began after Abd al-Rahman III launched a large attack towards the Christian lands in 934. He gathered a huge army from his caliphate. He also got help from Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Tujibi, a governor from Zaragoza.
King Ramiro II of León led the Christian forces to fight back. His army included:
- His own troops from the Kingdom of León.
- Soldiers from Castile, led by Count Fernán González.
- Navarrese fighters from Pamplona, led by García Sánchez I.
An Amazing Eclipse
Something incredible happened on the first day of the battle, according to Arab writers. There was a spectacular eclipse of the sun.
The sky turned dark yellow in the middle of the day. This strange event filled both armies with fear. Neither side had ever seen anything like it. Because of this, no fighting happened for two days.
The Outcome of the Battle
After the eclipse, the battle continued for several more days. In the end, the Christian armies won a big victory. They defeated the Cordovan forces.
One leader, Furtun ibn Muhammad al-Tawil, who was the governor of Huesca, did not join the battle with his troops. He was later caught near Calatayud. He was then taken to Córdoba and faced severe punishment in front of the Al-Qasr palace.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Simancas para niños
