Zafadola facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aḥmad III Abū Jaʿfar ibn ʿAbd al-Malik al-Mustanṣirأحمد الثالث أبو جعفر بن عبد الملك المستنصر |
|
|---|---|
| Lord of Rueda de Jalón | |
| Reign | 1130 – 1131 |
| Predecessor | Abd al-Malik Imad ad-Dawla |
| Successor | - |
| Died | 1146 |
| Dynasty | Hud |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Aḥmad III Abū Jaʿfar ibn ʿAbd al-Malik al-Mustanṣir (Arabic: أحمد الثالث أبو جعفر بن عبد الملك المستنصر) was an important ruler in medieval Spain. He was also known as Sayf al-Dawla, which means "Sword of the Dynasty." In Latin, his name was Zafadola. He was the last ruler from the Hudid dynasty.
Aḥmad III ruled a small part of the kingdom of Zaragoza. This area was centered around his castle in Rueda de Jalón, which is in modern-day Spain. He was the son of a ruler named Abd al-Malik.
Early Life and Fighting the Almoravids
In 1110, the city of Zaragoza was taken over by a group called the Almoravids. Because of this, Aḥmad III and his father, ʿAbd al-Malik, had to leave Zaragoza. They went to Rueda to continue fighting against the Almoravid invaders.
They received help from Alfonso the Battler, who was the king of Aragon. Their kingdom became much smaller, only including the towns of Rueda and Borja and the land around them.
Becoming a Vassal of King Alfonso VII
In 1130, Aḥmad III's father, ʿAbd al-Malik, passed away. The next year, in 1131, Aḥmad III sent messages to King Alfonso VII of León. He offered to become a "vassal" of Alfonso. A vassal was a person who promised loyalty and service to a king in exchange for land or protection.
King Alfonso VII sent his own important people, including Count Rodrigo Martínez, to Rueda. They met with Aḥmad III to make the final plans. Aḥmad III and his sons then went to King Alfonso. They gave Rueda to him and officially became his vassals. In return, Alfonso gave Sayf al-Dawla new land in the Kingdom of Toledo. He also gave him the job of defending a part of the southern border from the Almoravids.
Battles and His Final Days
Sayf al-Dawla took part in many battles against the Almoravids. These battles happened in places like Jaén, Granada, and Murcia. He also fought against Alfonso the Battler at times.
In 1135, he attended King Alfonso VII's special ceremony in León. This was when Alfonso was crowned as an "emperor" of Spain. Sayf al-Dawla continued to defend the southern border. In 1146, King Alfonso VII sent some of his best knights to help him. These knights included Manrique de Lara and Ponce de Cabrera.
Sadly, Sayf al-Dawla was killed in 1146. He died during a fight with the Christians at the battle of Chinchilla. This battle took place near Chinchilla de Montearagón.
See also
In Spanish: Zafadola para niños
