Eighth siege of Gibraltar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eighth siege of Gibraltar |
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 Kingdom of Castile |
 Emirate of Granada |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Rodrigo de Arcos |
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Imagine a time when a powerful fortress was captured almost without a fight! That's what happened during the eighth siege of Gibraltar in 1462. Soldiers from the Kingdom of Castile successfully took the strong town of Gibraltar from the Moors of the Emirate of Granada. This victory was very important. It helped the Castilians finally defeat the Moors in Spain.
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Why Gibraltar Was Important
Gibraltar was a super important place during the Middle Ages. It was like a special gateway. Armies from Morocco could easily cross into the Iberian peninsula (where Spain is today) through Gibraltar.
For 748 years, Gibraltar was mostly controlled by the Moors. The Castilians had already taken over much of Granada. But the Moors still used Gibraltar as a safe place. From there, they would launch attacks on the lands around it.
A Family's History with Gibraltar
A powerful landowner named Enrique Pérez de Guzmán, 2nd Count de Niebla tried to attack Gibraltar in 1435. It was a bad plan, and he died during the attack. The Moors found his body. They put it in a wicker basket and hung it from the castle wall. The Christians offered a lot to get his body back, but the Moors refused.
By the 1460s, the Moorish kingdom was becoming very weak. It wouldn't be long before they lost control.
How Gibraltar Was Captured
In August 1462, a Christian who used to live in Gibraltar shared some secret news. He told the Castilians that many of the Moorish soldiers had left the town for a short time. This person, named Ali-l-Carro, told Alonzo of Arcos, the Governor of Tarifa, that the fortress was almost empty.
The First Attack
The very next day, Alonzo of Arcos attacked. He captured some Moorish soldiers. He questioned them to find out how many defenders were left. It turned out there were still too many for his small army to win. So, Alonzo of Arcos asked for help. He called on his relatives and Juan Alonso de Guzmán, 1st Duke of Medina Sidonia. The Duke was the most powerful noble in the area. He was also the son of Enrique Pérez de Guzmán, who had died trying to take Gibraltar years before.
When the first help arrived, Governor Alonzo of Arcos tried another attack. But it was easily stopped by the Moors.
The Surrender Offer
Soon, another person left the Moorish side. They brought news that the soldiers inside were arguing about giving up. They wondered if they should surrender, and what conditions they could ask for.
Not long after, some Moors came out to talk. They offered to surrender if they could leave with all their belongings. Alonzo of Arcos didn't have the power to agree to these terms. He waited for someone with more authority to arrive.
Rodrigo, the son of the Count of Arcos, then arrived. He also felt he couldn't agree to the surrender terms. However, Rodrigo took control of the city gates. This made the Moors retreat further into the castle.
A Dispute Over Honor
When the Duke of Medina Sidonia finally showed up, there was a disagreement. Both the Duke and the Count of Arcos wanted the honor of taking the castle. To avoid a fight between their own forces, they made a deal. They agreed that both the Duke and the Count would enter the fortress at the same time. They would also raise their flags together.
After a few days of talking, the Moorish defenders agreed to surrender. They were allowed to leave with their possessions. The castle was taken on August 16, 1462. This event is called a "siege," but there was very little fighting. No special siege weapons were even used!
What Happened Next
The Duke of Medina Sidonia took control of the fortress. He placed his soldiers there. For a moment, it looked like there might be a fight between his soldiers and those of the Count of Arcos. But this was avoided.
The body of Count Enrique, who had died trying to take Gibraltar years before, was finally found. It was placed in a chapel inside the castle.
King Henry IV of Castile added Gibraltar to his list of titles. He gave the town a special symbol: a castle with a key hanging from it. This showed that Gibraltar was the "key" to the Mediterranean Sea. King Henry appointed new governors for the town.
A few years later, there was a power struggle in Castile. The Duke of Medina Sidonia again attacked Gibraltar. He besieged it for fifteen months. Finally, the Duke took the town once more. His family controlled Gibraltar until 1502. That's when the crown of Castile finally took full possession of it.
See also
In Spanish: Toma de Gibraltar (1462) para niños
