Page 60 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

58  INTRODUCING SP AIN

The Reconquest

The infant Christian kingdoms in the north – León, Castile,
Navarra, Aragón and Catalonia – advanced south gradually
in the 11th century, fighting in the name of Christianity to
regain land from the Moors. After the fall of Toledo in 1085,
the struggle became increasingly a holy war. Militant North
African Muslims – Almoravids and Almohads – rallied to the
Moorish cause and ultimately took over Al Andalus in the Spain in 1173
12th century. As the Christians pushed further south, soon Christian kingdoms
only Granada remained under Moorish control. Al Andalus

Armies of Castile,
Golden Goblet Aragón and Navarra
The exquisite gob let
(1063) of Doña Urraca,
daughter of Alfonso VI,
shows the quality of
medieval Christian
craftsmanship.
Fernando I
Fernando formed the
first Christian power
bloc in 1037 by
uniting Léon with
Castile, which was
emerging as a major The Almohads fight
military force. until the bitter end,
although many
comrades lay slain.

Las Navas de Tolosa
The Christian victory over the
Almohads in the Battle of Las
Navas de Tolosa (1212) led to
Moorish Spain’s decline. The
army of Muhammad II al Nasir
was no match for the forces of
Alhambra, Palace of the Nasrids Sancho VII of Navarra, Pedro II
Moorish art and architecture of singular of Aragón and Alfonso VIII
beauty continued to be produced in the of Castile. A stained-glass
Nasrid kingdom of Granada. Its apogee is win dow in Roncesvalles
the exquisite Alhambra (see pp496–7). (see p138) depicts the battle.

1037 León 1065 Death of 1086 Almoravids 1158 Establishment of 1215 Foundation of
and Castile Fernando I respond to pleas for the Order of Calatrava, Salamanca University
united for first precipitates help from Moorish the first military order
time under fratricidal civil emirs by taking over of knights in Spain
Fernando I war between taifas (splinter states)
his sons Fighting for the Reconquest
1050 1100 1150 1200
1085 Toledo falls to 1137 Ramón Berenguer IV 1147 Almohads 1212 Combined
Christians under of Catalonia marries arrive in Al Andalus Christian forces
Alfonso VI of Castile Petronila of Aragón, uniting and make Seville defeat Almohads
1094 The legendary the two kingdoms under their capital at battle of Las
El Cid (see p374) their son, Alfonso II 1143 Portugal becomes Navas de Tolosa
Alfonso VI captures Valencia separate kingdom

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