Luso–Leonese War (1167–1169)
| Luso–Leonese War of 1167–1169 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Reconquista | |||||||
 Medieval painting of Ferdinand II of Leon | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Kingdom of LeonSupported by:  Almohad Caliphate |
 Kingdom of Portugal | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Ferdinand II of Leon |
Afonso I of Portugal (POW) Sancho the Populator Gerald the Fearless (POW) | ||||||
The Luso-Leonese War of 1167-1169 was a military conflict fought between the Kingdom of León and the Kingdom of Portugal. This war began and ended within the framework of the Reconquista, where the Christian kingdoms expelled the numerous Muslim kingdoms from the Iberian Peninsula. The war started during the reigns of Ferdinand II of León and Afonso I of Portugal.
Background
[edit]With the death of Sancho III of Castile in August 1158, Alfonso VIII, then still a 4 year old child, succeeded to the throne, leaving the kingdom vulnerable to the ambitions of Ferdinand II of León. In December 1160, Ferdinand II met Alfonso at Celanova and this meeting seems to have led to a pact or alliance between the two monarchs, through the marriage of the King of León to the daughter of Alfonso, which guaranteed the Leonese king security on his western border while he attended to Castilian affairs in the east.[1] The pact did not last long due to the founding of Ciudad Rodrigo in 1160, on the Portuguese border, by Ferdinand II.[1] The inhabitants proved to be bad neighbours and unscrupulous not only towards the neighbouring Leonese cities but also towards the Portuguese, whose borders were disrespected, villages were plundered and lands were usurped. The cities of Salamanca and Ávila protested to Ferdinand II and even rebelled, but the rebellion was put down by the king in 1162. The transgressions on Portuguese territory led to Afonso Henriques declaring war on his new son-in-law five years later, thus putting an end to the peace that had lasted since the Treaty of Zamora, signed in 1143.[1] Also, with this new war, the Count of Portugal sought revenge for his failed campaigns in Galicia.
The war
[edit]Following the declaration of war on the Kingdom of León by the Kingdom of Portugal, the Portuguese forces commanded by Don Sancho began an incursion into Leonese territory, specifically into the recently founded city of Ciudad Rodrigo. However, the attack was unsuccessful and many Portuguese soldiers were taken as prisoners of war.[1] Sancho managed to escape from the combat zone but was unable to rescue many of his men, who remained in captivity.[1] The King of Leon, Ferdinand II, freed the Portuguese prisoners, but did not sign a peace treaty with the Kingdom of Portugal. Afonso I, not content with this, decided to start a second campaign, this time in Galicia.[2]
The Portuguese king then approached the Galician border personally with his army and began the offensive. The city of Tuy was taken and they vandalized their cathedral.[2] From Tuy, the Portuguese king moved on to the territories of Toronho and Límia, which were occupied.[2] A siege was imposed on the castle of Sandino, property of the monks of Celanova, but a violent storm hit the Portuguese forces causing military operations to be cancelled. The monks of Celanova attributed this event to the intervention of Saint Rudesind, their patron saint.[2]
A castle was quickly built at Cedofeita, near Celanova. Meanwhile, further south, in the spring of 1169 Gerald the Fearless, a famous leader who conquered Muslim castles on the border with the Moorish taifas, besieged the city of Badajoz. However, he did not have enough soldiers to continue the attack, so he asked Afonso for help, probably while he was still in Galicia. After installing garrisons in the new conquests, Afonso Henriques withdrew to the south.[2] The castle of Cedofeita was quickly attacked by Ferdinand II and, when lightning struck the main tower, the garrison surrendered.[2]
Badajoz
[edit]The city of Badajoz was one of the most important Almohad fortresses in al-Andalus. Due to constant attacks and internal conflicts, the surrounding areas of Badajoz were depopulated.[3] The inhabitants of Badajoz paid parias (tribute) to the King of León in exchange for protection, and it was stipulated between Afonso Henriques and Ferdinand II that the conquest of the city would remain in the hands of Leon.[2]
While Ferdinand was fighting in Galicia to recover the castles and territories occupied by the Portuguese, Afonso arrived at the front of Badajoz with his troops. The Muslim defenders of Badajoz were trapped in the fortress, however, they ended up being rescued by the king of León, to whom they had asked for help. The Leonese king began to besiege the Portuguese besiegers and, when Afonso tried to pass through the city gate with his men, on horseback, he broke his leg when he hit one of the bolts, being later captured by the Leonese, in Caia.[2]The capture of the Portuguese king was decisive and put an end to hostilities.[4]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e H. V. Livermore (1947). A History Of Portugal. p. 84. Retrieved 2024-02-13.
- ^ a b c d e f g h H. V. Livermore (1947). A History Of Portugal. p. 85. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ Edward McMurdo. La historia de Portugal: desde el inicio de la monarquía hasta el reinado de Alfonso III. p. 224.
- ^ H. V. Livermore. A History of Portugal. p. 86.