Battle of the Morcuera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of the Morcuera |
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| Part of the Reconquista | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Kingdom of Asturias Kingdom of CastileToledo rebels |
 Emirate of Córdoba |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Ordoño I of Asturias Rodrigo of Castile |
Muhammad I of Córdoba |
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The Battle of the Morcuera was an important fight during the Reconquista in Spain. It happened on August 9, 865, in a place called Hoz de la Morcuera. This area is near the city of Miranda de Ebro. The battle was between Christian armies from the Kingdom of Castile and the Kingdom of Asturias. They were led by Rodrigo of Castile. On the other side were the Muslim forces of the Emirate of Cordoba, led by Muhammad I of Córdoba. The battle ended with a victory for the Cordoban Muslims. This loss slowed down the Christian efforts to take back land.
The Battle of Morcuera
In 865, Muhammad I of Córdoba launched an attack. His target was the Kingdom of Asturias, ruled by King Ordoño I. Christian soldiers, led by Rodrigo of Castile, were caught by surprise. They were in the Hoz de la Morcuera gorge.
The Muslim forces attacked quickly across the Miranda de Ebro valley. Fighting spread all the way to Añana. After being pushed back, Rodrigo of Castile tried to block the Muslim escape route. He planned to trap them at Pancorbo. But the Muslims found out about his plan. They managed to escape by following the Oja River basin.
This defeat was a big setback for the Christians. It stopped their efforts to resettle people in the central area of Spain. King Ordoño I's son, Alfonso III of Asturias, would later continue these efforts. He also had to deal with some nobles in Asturias who wanted to be independent.
Muhammad I of Córdoba used this Christian weakness to his advantage. He launched more attacks in 866 and 867. During these attacks, the Christians also lost important forts. These included Cerezo Río Tirón, Ibrillos, and Grañón.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de la Morcuera para niños
