The Battle of Sagrajas (23 October 1086), also called Zalaca or Zallaqah (Arabic: معركة الزلاقة, romanized: Maʿrakat az-Zallāqah), was a conflict fought in 1086 between the Almoravid army, led by their king, Yusuf ibn Tashfin, and the forces of King Alfonso VI of Castile. The Almoravids were called into battle by the taifas, Muslim principalities in Al-Andalus that often fought amongst themselves but united against the expanding Christian kingdoms to the north. In addition to the Almoravid forces, the Taifas, bolstered the Muslim side, tilting the battle in their favor. The battlefield became known as az-Zallaqah (meaning "slippery ground") due to the immense bloodshed that made the terrain treacherous, giving rise to its name in Arabic.
History
Status of al-Andalus
After the death of Al-Muzaffar ibn Al-Mansur ibn Abi Amir in 399 AH, his brother Abd al-Rahman Sanchuelo assumed the position of hajib (chancellor) of the Umayyad state in Al-Andalus. Within months, Sanchuelo forced the caliph, Hisham II al-Mu'ayyad bi-Allah, to name him as the heir to the caliphate. This unprecedented move angered the Umayyad princes, who began conspiring to regain control of the government.
Ultimately, Muhammad al-Mahdi Billah succeeded in killing Sanchuelo, deposing Hisham II, and declaring himself Caliph of Al-Andalus. This event marked the beginning of a turbulent period of civil strife known as the Fitna of Al-Andalus, which lasted until 422 AH. The conflict led to the disintegration of the caliphate into smaller, independent states called the Taifa kingdoms.
Among the most prominent of these were the Hammudid dynasty, who ruled Málaga and Algeciras in the south; the Banu Abbadid in Seville, the most powerful of the Taifa kings; the Dhulnunid dynasty in Toledo; the Banu Hud in Zaragoza in the north; and the Banu Amir in Valencia and Murcia in the east.
In the second half of the 11th century CE, the Muslim rulers of Al-Andalus were deeply divided and often more hostile towards each other than towards their Christian adversaries. Many of these rulers sought alliances with the Christian kingdoms of the north, sometimes agreeing to pay tribute in exchange for military support. A notable conflict arose between the Taifa of Toledo and the Taifa of Córdoba, initially involving the rulers of Toledo, Córdoba, and Seville. This struggle persisted for years until Al-Mamun ibn Dhul-Nun, the ruler of Toledo, allied with Ferdinand I, the King of León and Castile, which enabled him to capture Valencia.
At the same time, Al-Mu'tamid ibn Abbad, the ruler of Seville, expanded his territory by seizing Murcia, Orihuela, and other cities. Al-Mu'tamid then allied with Alfonso VI, the Kingdom of Castile, securing military assistance against other Taifa rulers in exchange for paying tribute to Castile. One of the results of this alliance was Alfonso VI's capture of Toledo—the former Visigothic capital—in 478 AH (1085 CE), just a year before the Battle of Sagrajas (Zallaqa). The fall of Toledo marked a permanent loss for the Muslims, who had ruled the city for 372 years. Alfonso VI subsequently made Toledo the capital of Castile, establishing it as a Christian stronghold.
The fall of Toledo was a devastating blow to the alliance between Alfonso VI and Al-Mu'tamid, the ruler of Seville. Alfonso was not content with just Toledo; he also seized all the lands along both banks of the Tagus River, including the fortresses of Madrid, Mérida, and Badajoz. Alarmed by this expansion, Al-Mu'tamid wrote to Alfonso warning him not to extend his conquests beyond Toledo, stating that such actions would be considered a breach of their agreement. However, Alfonso paid no heed to Al-Mu'tamid's warnings and continued his conquests, with the intention of subjugating all the Muslim emirates.
The Taifa of Zaragoza soon faced the same threat that had befallen Toledo, prompting most Muslim rulers in Al-Andalus to conclude that there was no refuge from Alfonso except by seeking the help of the Almoravids in North Africa.
The status of the Christian kingdoms of northern Iberia
Alfonso VI, King of Castile, who ruled over Galicia, parts of Portugal, Asturias, Lyon, and Biscay, joined forces with Sancho I, King of Aragon and Navarre, and Count Berengar Raymond of Barcelona and Urgell. These Christian rulers, after years of internal conflicts, united with the goal of decisively eliminating the Islamic presence in the Iberian Peninsula, especially following the fall of Toledo. With their differences set aside, they mobilized a large, powerful army from Galicia and León, marching together to confront the Muslim forces.
The Christian coalition captured Coria from the Banu al-Aftas and advanced towards Seville, devastating its surrounding villages and fields. A cavalry unit pushed as far south as Sidonia and even reached Tarifa, the southernmost tip of Spain near the Strait of Gibraltar. Alfonso’s forces, bolstered by troops from Aragon and Catalonia, laid siege to the fortified city of Zaragoza. Had Zaragoza fallen, Alfonso VI would have gained control over the Ebro River basin, leaving the Mediterranean coastline vulnerable to his raids. Despite the relentless pressure, the fortified Islamic defenses of Zaragoza held firm, resisting the Christian advance day by day.
Status of the Almoravids
The Almoravids, originally referred to as the "Veiled Ones," were the foundation of an Islamic reform movement that emerged from the call of Sheikh Abdallah ibn Yasin and the influence of the Sanhaja tribes, particularly the Lamtuna and Judala. This movement was established on a Sunni Maliki Islamic doctrine. After Ibn Yasin's death, leadership of the Almoravid state transitioned to Abu Bakr ibn Umar, who delegated governance to Yusuf ibn Tashfin while addressing a conflict in the Moroccan desert.
Upon Abu Bakr's return several years later, he found that the situation had stabilized under Yusuf's control, leading him to relinquish the throne to Yusuf. Yusuf successfully consolidated his authority across the western Maghreb, unifying the region under a central power. He entered Fez in 455 AH (1063 CE) and subsequently captured Tlemcen, Tangier, and Ceuta. In 454 AH (1062 CE), Ibn Tashfin founded the city of Marrakesh, designating it as the capital of the Almoravid state and transforming it into a formidable military base.
Through these efforts, Yusuf ibn Tashfin established control over the Maghreb, extending his dominion from the territories of the Banu Mazghena in Algeria to Tangier, the far reaches of Sous, and into the Gold Mountains of Sudan.
The Almoravids were the first ruling dynasty in Morocco to use a large number of black slaves in the army, beginning in the 11th century. According to Ibn 'Idhari, in the year 1071-1072 Yusuf Ibn Tashfin "bought a body of black slaves and sent them to al-Andalus", where he "gave them all mounts", adding some 2,000 of them to the Almoravid cavalry. However, the 4,000 black soldiers in this battle are referred to as "hasham" by Ibn Khallikan, a term used for paid mercenaries, suggesting they may not have been slaves. Historian Umar al-Naqar states that the troops may have been from the kingdom of Takrur, a Muslim state around the Senegal River that may have been allied with the Almoravids in prior years.
Andalusis call on the Almoravids
By the end of the Taifa period in Al-Andalus, the region faced challenges due to internal conflicts and the submission of Muslim rulers to their Christian enemies in the north. The policies of the Taifa kings, marked by division and dependency on external powers, had weakened the Muslim states. In response to their deteriorating situation, many Andalusians began considering external assistance to defend their territories. The idea of seeking help from Yusuf ibn Tashfin, the leader of the Almoravids, gained popularity. Supporters of this plan traveled across the sea to Marrakesh, where they appealed to Yusuf, describing the hardships and oppression they endured from the advancing Christian forces.
The city of Marrakesh became a key destination for delegations from Al-Andalus, who viewed it as a beacon of hope and a source of strength capable of reversing their declining fortunes. These Andalusian emissaries sought the assistance of the Almoravids, believing that Marrakesh, under the leadership of Yusuf ibn Tashfin, could provide the military and political support needed to improve their deteriorating conditions and counter the growing threat from the Christian forces in the north.
Ibn al-Aftas's letter to Yusuf ibn Tashfin
Al-Mutawakkil ibn al-Aftas, the Emir of Badajoz, sent a heartfelt letter to Yusuf ibn Tashfin, detailing the dire state of affairs in Al-Andalus. In his plea, he wrote:
"Since the light of guidance is your beacon and the path of righteousness your way, it is clear that you are the greatest supporter of the Islamic state and the most capable conqueror against the infidels. It is essential for you to be summoned to address this worsening crisis and come to the aid of the Iberian Peninsula, which is engulfed in tribulation. The enemy encircles us with increasing dominance and aggression, their oppression ever more intense. Their defiance grows, while we have responded with submission, and now they are certain of our weakness. Their ambitions to conquer cities have grown, and they have ignited the fires of war everywhere. Their spears and swords are soaked with the blood of Muslims, and those who have not been killed are captives and slaves, enduring torture and tribulation. O God, and O Muslims, shall falsehood prevail over truth? Shall polytheism overpower monotheism, and disbelief triumph over faith? Is there no defender for this oppressed religion, no protector for the sanctity violated? You are most deserving of jihad according to the Book of Allah, for you are its rightful followers, and by the hadith of the Messenger of Allah, for you are the most knowledgeable of it."
He concluded by stating that the bearer of the letter, a learned preacher, would provide further elaboration. Upon receiving this plea, Yusuf ibn Tashfin honored the envoys, reassured them, and promised to provide assistance. He vowed to cross into Al-Andalus and open the path to jihad in the name of Allah once the obstacles preventing the Almoravids from advancing were cleared.
Ibn Abad's letter to Yusuf ibn Tashfin
Despite the submission of the Taifa kings to the Christian rulers of the north, their attempts to appease them through alliances and tribute payments, these efforts only served to fuel the Christians' arrogance. Al-Mu'tamid ibn Abbad, the Emir of Seville, found himself distracted by one of his numerous wars, causing him to miss the payment of tribute to Alfonso VI, King of Castile. When he eventually managed to send the payment, Alfonso was infuriated. In addition to the tribute, Alfonso demanded control over certain fortresses and made further unreasonable demands, including the request that his wife give birth inside the Great Mosque of Córdoba, as she was pregnant at the time.
In response to this escalating pressure, in 475 AH (1082 AD), Al-Mu'tamid wrote to Yusuf ibn Tashfin, describing the dire situation in Al-Andalus and the worsening state of the Muslims, as Christian forces had taken control of much of their territory. He implored Yusuf for help in repelling the aggression. Yusuf replied: "Once God grants me the conquest of Ceuta, I shall join you, and I will exert all efforts in the jihad against the enemy."
Alfonso's letter to al-Mu'adh ibn Abad
Alfonso VI, King of Castile, sent a letter to Al-Mu'tamid ibn Abbad, the Emir of Seville, which was recorded in Arabic sources as follows:
"From the two-faced (qenbitor) king, the favored, al-Dhifti, son of Shanjar, to Al-Mu'tamid Billah, may God guide his opinions. You have witnessed what has befallen Toledo and its regions, and the fate of its people during its siege. You have surrendered your brethren and idled away your time in complacency, without being vigilant against the one who is awakening (the enemy) before falling into their traps. Had it not been for a covenant between us that we must uphold, and a commitment to the light of fidelity before us, we would have risen against you with determination, accompanied by a herald of invasion. However, this warning interrupts any excuses. We have brought this message to you from the illustrious Qarmati, who possesses the wisdom to deal with someone of your stature and the intellect to govern your lands and your men, regarding what is essential and what is to be amended, not what is detrimental. You will be coming to him with your opinions, and then the examination will be from behind you. Peace be upon you, with your right hand and before you."