Siege of Almería (1147) facts for kids

The siege of Almería was a big battle that happened in 1147. It was fought between the Christian armies of the Kingdom of León and Castile and their friends, and the Muslim defenders of the city of Almería. The siege lasted from July to October and ended with the Christian forces winning.

King Alfonso VII led the main Christian army. He had help from soldiers from Navarre, Catalonia, and a powerful navy from Genoa. The city of Almería, called al-Mariyya in Arabic, was very important and rich before this battle. It was a busy trading center under the Almoravid rulers. After the siege, much of the city was destroyed, and many people left.

Getting Ready for Battle

King Alfonso VII's army was quite large, with about 5,000 soldiers. This included many knights, who were expert horsemen, and also foot soldiers. There were important noblemen and church leaders who brought their own groups of fighters.

The city of Genoa, which was a powerful trading city, sent a huge fleet to help. They provided 63 large ships called galleys and 163 other boats. These ships were crucial for attacking Almería from the sea. In return for their help, King Alfonso promised Genoa a share of anything they captured and special trading rights.

The Siege Begins

In the spring of 1147, some Genoese ships arrived first, led by a consul named Balduino. They waited for King Alfonso, but he was delayed. Then, Count Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona arrived with his own ship and knights, along with more Genoese ships.

The Genoese and Catalan forces decided to attack without waiting for the main army. Ramon Berenguer's men went onto the land, while Balduino pretended to attack from the sea. Another Genoese leader, Ansaldo Doria, took a ship up the river Andarax to watch for any enemy help.

The defenders of Almería sent out scouts, but they didn't find the Christian troops on land. The first attack by the Genoese from the sea faced strong resistance. After a tough fight, the defenders were forced to retreat. The Christian ships then landed, and soldiers unloaded big siege machines like rams, towers, and catapults.

When King Alfonso finally arrived with his army, the Genoese had already set up their siege machines. These machines were used to attack the city walls. Despite many counterattacks from the defenders, the machines managed to break down a large part of the wall.

Final Attack and Surrender

Later in the year, King Alfonso VII tried to talk to the defenders of Almería. The city offered to pay a lot of money and give hostages if Alfonso would stop the siege. However, the Genoese, who were not part of these talks, wanted to continue fighting.

On October 17, the Genoese launched a big surprise attack on the city. They attacked without a battle cry, and many thousands of them rushed into Almería. At first, the Catalans didn't join, but King Alfonso eventually sent his own soldiers into the fight. After three hours of intense fighting, the city was captured, except for its strong castle.

Four days later, on October 21, the castle also surrendered. The remaining defenders paid a huge amount of money to save their lives.

What Happened Next

After the victory, the Genoese left about 1,000 soldiers to guard Almería. However, the city was later taken back by another Muslim group, the Almohads, in 1157.

See also

In Spanish: Conquista de Almería (1147) para niños