Battle of Uclés (1108) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Uclés
Part of the Reconquista
Battlefield of Uclés
Date 29 May 1108 Location Uclés Result Decisive Almoravid victory Almoravid retake Cuenca, Huete, Ocaña, and Uclés
Belligerents
Almoravid dynasty	Kingdom of Castile Kingdom of León
Commanders and leaders
Abu Tahir Tamim ibn Yusuf Muhammad ibn Aysa Abdallah ibn Fatima Muhammad ibn Abi Ranq	Sancho Alfónsez  † García Ordóñez  † Álvar Fáñez Martín Flaínez  † Fernando Díaz  †
Strength
>2,300	~2,300
Casualties and losses
Few, incl. the imam al-Jazuli	Severe, incl. Sancho and seven counts

The Battle of Uclés was a major fight that happened on May 29, 1108. It was part of the Reconquista, a long period when Christian kingdoms in Spain tried to take back land from Muslim rulers. This battle took place near Uclés, a town south of the Tagus river.

In this battle, Christian armies from the Kingdom of Castile and the Kingdom of León, led by King Alfonso VI, faced off against the Muslim Almoravid forces. The Almoravids were led by Tamim ibn-Yusuf. The battle was a huge defeat for the Christians. Many important nobles from León, including several counts, died. The king's son and heir, Sancho Alfónsez, was also killed while trying to escape. Even with this big win, the Almoravids couldn't capture the important city of Toledo.

Getting Ready for Battle

In early May 1108, Tamim, who led the Almoravid forces from Granada, began his march. He traveled towards Jaén. There, he met up with more Almoravid troops from Córdoba. Together, they continued their journey to Chinchilla.

At Chinchilla, they were joined by even more forces. These came from Murcia and Valencia. Their leaders were Muhammad ibn Aysa and Abdallah ibn Fatima, who were governors of those areas. The combined Almoravid army then marched on Uclés. The town did not put up a fight and was captured on May 27.

After taking Uclés, the Almoravid soldiers spread out. They raided and looted other Christian towns in the Tagus river valley. Many people living there fled to safety. Meanwhile, the Christian soldiers who had been defending Uclés took shelter in the town's strong castle, called an alcázar.

The Christian Counter-Attack

The Christian heir, Prince Sancho, decided to lead a counter-attack. This made sense because his father, King Alfonso VI, was in the northern part of the kingdom. Sancho had already been given control of Toledo by his father. He likely moved south with a large army in April. This was to get ready for fighting during the summer.

Sancho's army included eight important nobles, called counts, from León and Castile. These counts brought their own groups of heavily armored horsemen, known as heavy cavalry. These cavalry units were a big part of the kingdom's fighting power. Along with Sancho's personal guards, there were about 400 knights. They also had about 800 squires and grooms who helped them. This made a total of about 1,200 men.

Before the battle, about 750 townspeople joined the main Christian army. They came from places like Calatañazor, Alcalá, and Toledo. These townspeople were led by their local officials, called alcaldes. Most of them were infantry (soldiers who fight on foot), but some were light cavalry (horsemen with lighter armor). When you add in about 300 men who managed the army's supplies, the Christian forces totaled around 2,300 soldiers.

The Battle Begins

The Christian army arrived near Uclés and set up their camp on May 28. The next day, May 29, the battle began. Tamim, the Almoravid leader, arranged his army carefully. The soldiers from Córdoba were at the front, led by Muhammad ibn Abi Ranq. Behind them were his own soldiers from Granada. The forces from Valencia and Murcia were placed on the sides, forming the flanks.

The battle started with a strong charge by the Christian cavalry. At first, they had some success against the Córdoban forces. However, as the Christian horsemen pushed forward against the Granadans, they quickly found themselves surrounded. The main Christian army then had to retreat back to their camp.

Meanwhile, the Almoravid forces from Murcia and Valencia attacked the Christian supply wagons and baggage train. The Christian foot soldiers were scattered and ran away. The cavalry, caught in their own camp, were defeated and many were killed.

Sancho's Fate

Prince Sancho's horse was killed during the fighting. With only a small group of seven of his own men, he managed to escape. He tried to flee towards a town called Belinchón. However, he was killed by local Muslim villagers. These villagers used the confusion of the battle to revolt against Christian rule.

The only Christian count who managed to escape the battle was Álvar Fáñez. He led a large group of horsemen north. His goal was to organize the defense of the upper Tagus region. After their victory, the Almoravids tricked the Christian soldiers hiding in the Uclés castle (the alcázar) into coming out. They then defeated these soldiers as well. The Almoravids continued their success by capturing other castles, including those at Huete and Ocaña.

Many important Christian leaders died in this battle. Among them were García Ordóñez, the count of Nájera, and Martín Laíñez. Other significant figures like Fernando Díaz and the king's standard-bearer, García Álvarez, also likely perished.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de Uclés (1108) para niños