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Siege of Almería (1147)
Srnec: just a start
The '''Siege of Almería''' by the [[Crown of Castile|Kingdom of León and Castile]] and allied forces lasted from July until 21 October 1147. The siege was successful and the [[Almoravid]] garrison surrendered. The besieging force was under the overall command of King [[Alfonso VII of León and Castile]], who took possession of the city at the end. He was supported by forces from [[Kingdom of Navarre|Navarre]] under their king, [[Principality of Catalonia|Catalonia]] under the count of Barcelona and [[Republic of Genoa|Genoa]], which provided the bulk of the naval contingent.
The city of Almería, known in [[Arabic language|Arabic]] as ''al-Mariyya'', reached its zenith under the Almoravids in the latter half of the eleventh century and the first half of the twelfth. This period of commercial and cultural richness was cut short by the conquest of 1147. Large sections of the city were physically destroyed and most prominent residents emigrated to North Africa.
There are two major [[Middle Latin|Latin]] narrative sources of the campaign of Almería: [[Caffaro di Rustico]]'s ''De captione Almerie et Tortuose'' from the Genoese perspective and the anonymous ''[[Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris]]'' from the Castilian perspective. There is also a Latin epic poem, the ''[[Prefatio de Almaria]]'', which is incomplete in its surviving form and mostly just a list of the names of participants. Important information can also be gleaned from the numerous Castilian diplomas issued by Alfonso VII during the progress of his army and the siege.
Bernard Reilly estimates that Alfonso VII's army numbered about 5,000. The ''Prefatio'' and Alfonso's diplomas show fifteen magnates (noblemen of the highest rank) and nine prelates (archbishops and bishops) were part of the army. It is likely that each of these men was responsible for providing one squadron of [[heavy cavalry]], which typically contained 40–60 horsemen, plus a squire and groom for each. To this must be added the infantry and the support personnel (drovers, carters, blacksmiths, cooks)—probably a further 3,500 men. The Genoese fleet of 63 galleys and 163 other vessels. For their help, Alfonso VII promised them a third of all conquests, the right to commerce and exemption from tolls.
The final attack on the city was spearheaded by the Genoese contingent, having received word that Alfonso VII was prepared to make peace. On 17 October, without a battle cry, twelve thousand Genoese attacked the city. The Catalans refused to join, but Alfonso eventually sent his men into the battle. After three hours, the city was captured save for the citadel. According to Caffaro, 20,000 Muslims were killed and 10,000 women and children captured. Four days later (21 October), the citadel surrendered. The garrison paid 30 million ''maravedíes'' to spare their lives.
Almería was lost to the [[Almohads]] in 1157.
==Notes==
==Bibliography==
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[[Category:Conflicts in 1147]]
[[Category:Battles of the Reconquista]]
The city of Almería, known in [[Arabic language|Arabic]] as ''al-Mariyya'', reached its zenith under the Almoravids in the latter half of the eleventh century and the first half of the twelfth. This period of commercial and cultural richness was cut short by the conquest of 1147. Large sections of the city were physically destroyed and most prominent residents emigrated to North Africa.
There are two major [[Middle Latin|Latin]] narrative sources of the campaign of Almería: [[Caffaro di Rustico]]'s ''De captione Almerie et Tortuose'' from the Genoese perspective and the anonymous ''[[Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris]]'' from the Castilian perspective. There is also a Latin epic poem, the ''[[Prefatio de Almaria]]'', which is incomplete in its surviving form and mostly just a list of the names of participants. Important information can also be gleaned from the numerous Castilian diplomas issued by Alfonso VII during the progress of his army and the siege.
Bernard Reilly estimates that Alfonso VII's army numbered about 5,000. The ''Prefatio'' and Alfonso's diplomas show fifteen magnates (noblemen of the highest rank) and nine prelates (archbishops and bishops) were part of the army. It is likely that each of these men was responsible for providing one squadron of [[heavy cavalry]], which typically contained 40–60 horsemen, plus a squire and groom for each. To this must be added the infantry and the support personnel (drovers, carters, blacksmiths, cooks)—probably a further 3,500 men. The Genoese fleet of 63 galleys and 163 other vessels. For their help, Alfonso VII promised them a third of all conquests, the right to commerce and exemption from tolls.
The final attack on the city was spearheaded by the Genoese contingent, having received word that Alfonso VII was prepared to make peace. On 17 October, without a battle cry, twelve thousand Genoese attacked the city. The Catalans refused to join, but Alfonso eventually sent his men into the battle. After three hours, the city was captured save for the citadel. According to Caffaro, 20,000 Muslims were killed and 10,000 women and children captured. Four days later (21 October), the citadel surrendered. The garrison paid 30 million ''maravedíes'' to spare their lives.
Almería was lost to the [[Almohads]] in 1157.
==Notes==
==Bibliography==
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
[[Category:Conflicts in 1147]]
[[Category:Battles of the Reconquista]]
August 29, 2018 at 12:18PM
