Battle of Sagrajas

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. In the 11th century, Al-Andalus, the western part of the Iberian Peninsula, was ruled by a series of independent Muslim states, known as Taifa kingdoms. Al-Mamun ibn Dhul-Nun ruled Toledo and allied with the Christian rulers against the Taifa of Zaragoza.

Ultimately, the Battle of Sagrajas ended with the Almoravids winning, and their victory greatly strengthened their empire.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons