Ninth siege of Gibraltar facts for kids

The ninth siege of Gibraltar was a long attack on the town of Gibraltar. It lasted for about 15 months, from 1466 to 1467. This siege was led by Juan Alonso de Guzmán, who was the first Duke of Medina Sidonia. His goal was to take control of Gibraltar, which at that time belonged to the Crown of Castile. Unlike many other sieges of Gibraltar, this one wasn't a fight between different countries. Instead, it was a struggle between two powerful families within Castile itself.

Why Gibraltar Was Attacked

Gibraltar's Change of Hands in 1462

A few years before the ninth siege, in 1462, Gibraltar was captured in what was called the eighth siege of Gibraltar. Before this, Gibraltar was part of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, which was controlled by Muslims. Three important leaders, Alonso de Arcos, Rodrigo Ponce de León, and Juan Alonso de Guzmán, worked together to take the town.

When Alonso's forces first arrived, they tried to storm the town. However, the soldiers defending Gibraltar were strong and held them back. The defenders then sent a message. They asked if they could leave peacefully with their belongings if they surrendered the town.

Noble Rivalry and Royal Decisions

While Alonso was thinking about the offer, Rodrigo Ponce de León arrived. He was the son of the Count of Arcos, who was Alonso's boss. Rodrigo also wanted to wait for Juan Alonso de Guzmán to arrive before making a decision. In the meantime, Rodrigo's troops tried to take control of the city gates.

When Juan Alonso landed, he was not happy with Rodrigo. He wanted to be the one to claim Gibraltar for himself. But Rodrigo also wanted that honor. After a long argument, they decided to plant their flags at the same time. This showed the strong rivalry between the Arcos and Medina Sidonia families. These were two of the most powerful noble families in Andalusia at that time.

Henry IV of Castile accepted their claim to Gibraltar. He even called himself "King of Gibraltar". He then gave control of the town to Juan Alonso de Guzmán.

The Reason for the Ninth Siege

Later, Beltrán de la Cueva became a favorite of King Henry IV. The king gave Beltrán the job of Governor of Gibraltar. Soon after, a conflict known as the War of the Castilian Succession began. This war was between King Henry IV and his brother, Alfonso. Beltrán supported King Henry.

Juan Alonso de Guzmán saw an opportunity. He went to Alfonso and made a deal. If he helped Alfonso against the king, he would be given "lordship of Gibraltar, both city and fortress." Alfonso agreed to this deal. This is why Juan Alonso decided to try and take back Gibraltar in April 1466, starting the ninth siege.

The Siege of Gibraltar

The Initial Attack

The siege began with a direct attack in the middle of the day. This surprised Esteban de Villacreces, who was the lieutenant of Beltrán de la Cueva. Esteban was the one actually defending the Gibraltar garrison. He quickly sent messages to both Beltrán and King Henry IV. He asked for help to support the soldiers in the garrison.

However, neither Beltrán nor Henry IV could send any troops or supplies to Gibraltar. So, Esteban had to gather food, weapons, and soldiers from the people of Gibraltar. He needed their help to fight off Juan Alonso's attack. But Juan Alonso's forces had already broken through the town's outer walls. Esteban and his troops were forced to retreat into the heavily protected garrison. This meant Juan Alonso now controlled the main town area.

Holding Out in the Garrison

Esteban had enough supplies for a while. He also had enough weapons to stop direct attacks. He hoped that Beltrán or Henry IV would eventually send reinforcements. This would allow them to take back the town of Gibraltar.

But Juan Alonso kept attacking the garrison with his troops and weapons. The siege of the garrison itself lasted for 16 months. During this time, Juan Alonso got more soldiers and weapons. He put his son, Enrique de Guzmán, in charge of them. Enrique continued the attacks.

The Final Days of the Siege

The new supplies included several cannons. Enrique used these cannons to break through several of the garrison's walls. Esteban's soldiers tried to cover the holes for a time. But a large attack eventually forced Esteban and his men to retreat. They went to the innermost chamber of the garrison.

They held this small area for five more months. By this point, Esteban's food supplies had run out. The men were forced to eat the small amount of edible plants growing on the inner walls. They even ate the leather from their clothes. After some of his men switched sides to Enrique's army, Esteban finally surrendered in June 1467. The garrison was then taken over by Juan Alonso's forces.

See also

In Spanish: Toma de Gibraltar (1467) para niños