Siege of Aledo

The Siege of Aledo was one of the many battles in the conflict between the Almoravids and the Taifa kingdoms on one side, and the Kingdom of Castile on the other, in the Andalusian region.

Background
In the second half of the 11th century, the taifa king al-Mu'tamid of Seville, who had pursued an aggressive policy of expansion against neighboring states arising from the decomposition of the Caliphate of Cordoba, found his own domains threatened when King Alfonso VI of Leon and Castile conquered Toledo in 1085. Just a year later, his troops captured the castle of Aledo led by the knight García Jiménez. The control over Toledo and the occupation of Aledo were part of the Castilian-Leonese strategy to weaken the fragmented Muslim power. The definitive fall of Toledo served as a significant blow, giving Christians renewed momentum in subduing southern territories. While some taifas agreed to pay tributes, strengthening the economy of Christian kingdoms, others sought assistance from the Almoravids, a Berber dynasty. The Almoravids landed in al-Yazira al-Jadra in 1086, defeating the Christians at the Battle of Sagrajas. Despite this, the expedition led by Emir Yusuf ibn Tashufin chose to return to the Maghreb upon hearing of his son's death. Aledo gained importance as an isolated Christian outpost in Islamic territory, challenging the surrounding taifas. Castilian-Leonese forces instilled fear in the Murcian taifa population with daring raids on the orchards of Murcia and Orihuela, seizing control of the Guadalentín Valley and key Levantine communication routes. The Andalusian principalities, concerned, once again sought the aid of the Almoravids.

Battle
Yusuf ibn Tashfin responded to the calls of the Andalusians, and crossed the sea to the Algeciras in the spring of 1088, Ibn Tashfin called upon the Taifa kings to join him in fighting the Castilians. They responded with their forces. Then, he took the route to Malaga in eastern Andalusia. Al-Mu'tamid ibn Abbad of Seville, Tamim ibn Buluggin of Malaga, Abdullah ibn Buluggin of Granada, Al-Mu'tasim ibn Samadih of Almeria, and Abdul Rahman ibn Rushayd of Murcia joined him, with the latter having seized power in Murcia from Ibn Abbad and incorporated it into their forces. The Muslims laid siege around the fortress, where approximately 12,000 foot soldiers and 1,000 cavalrymen defended it persisting in their defense despite the Muslims' use of massive siege machinery. The siege lasted for four months. During the prolonged siege, the Muslims faced difficulties in breaching the impregnable fortress. Amidst the siege, Ibn Abbad, son of Rashiq, lodged a complaint with Yusuf ibn Tashfin, accusing him of usurping Murcia and secretly collaborating with the king of Castile. Yusuf sought the counsel of the jurists regarding the matter of Ibn Rashiq, and they issued a verdict condemning him. Yusuf then ordered his commander Seer bin Abi Bakr to arrest and deliver Ibn Rashiq to Ibn Abbad The anger of Ibn Rashiq's commanders and his relatives led them to withdraw from the siege, cutting off support to Murcia's forces against the Muslims. This disrupted the Muslim camp as Murcia was one of the closest cities to the fortress, impacting the Muslims' situation. Ibn Tashfin received news of Alfonso VI's movement with his forces to relieve the fortress. He then withdrew his forces to a location known as Tarbasa, abundant in water and dates, where he awaited the army of Alfonso VI. However, Alfonso VI contented himself with relieving the fortress, and upon finding a high number of casualties among its defenders, he opted to evacuate, demolish, and set it ablaze. Only around 100 cavalry and 1,000 foot soldiers remained of the defenders, prompting Alfonso VI to withdraw Similarly, Yusuf ibn Tashfin departed from Andalusia, returning to Morocco. He left behind a force of 4,000 cavalry under the command of Dawoud ibn Aisha to protect Murcia and Valencia. The Andalusian princes also returned to their respective lands.