User:Kansas Bear/Siege of Algeciras

The Siege of Algeciras during 1342, was a combined effort by the troops of Castile led by Alfonso XI, including the fleets of the Aragón and Genoa, with the objective of conquering the Muslim city of Algeciras. The siege lasted twenty months during which the population of the city, some 30,000 people, suffered from famine. On March 26, 1344, the defeat of the army of the Kingdom of Granada on the plains of Rio Palmones, caused the city's surrender and its incorporation into the Kingdom of Castile.

Background
The town of Algeciras spent the early years of the fourteenth century under the control of the Marinids and Kingdom of Granada. Algeciras was finally conquered by the Kingdom of Fez, which made Algeciras the capital of its domain in Europe. In 1338, Abd-al-Malik, son of the king of Morocco and proclaimed king of Algeciras and Malaga, initiated skirmishes against the southern boundaries of the Castilian territories. In one of these skirmishes Abd-al-Malik was killed by Castilians and was buried in Algeciras. In 1340, his father, Abu-l-Hassan, crossed the straits of Gibralter, defeated a Castilian fleet and landed near the city. On the grave of his son he vowed to defeat the Castilian king and laid siege to the city of Tarifa(Cadiz). The Alfonso XI of Castile, overwhelmed by the incursion of a new North African army and the possibility of losing the town of Tarifa, prepared an army with the assistance of Alfonso IV, king of Portugal. The Castilian/Portugese and Marinid armies met near Tarifa. The Muslim defeat at this battle gave the advantage to the Christian forces and convinced Alfonso XI of the need to take the city of Algeciras as it was the main entry point for troops arriving from Africa.

The preparations for the siege
In 1341, Alfonso XI began make the necessary preparations to besiege the city of Algeciras. He ordered the construction of boats and secured the support of the Genoese squadrons of Egidio Boccanegra, Portugal and Aragon. It gained the support of Castile, Aragon and many crusaders from across Europe in addition to the support from the kings of England and France.

After meeting in El Puerto de Santa Maria with the Portuguese admiral Carlos Pezano and receiving news of Don Pero de Montada, fleet admiral of Aragon, who was heading to Algeciras.

On arrival at Getares, Montada informed Alfonso XI that he had intercepted several boats carrying bread to Algeciras and that the galleys of Genoa, Portugal and eighty galleys had engaged Moorish ?galleys? capturing twenty-six of them and forcing the rest to take refuge in African ports. According to the Montada this was the appropriate time to encircle the city as it should be short supplies.

On his return to Jerez, Alfonso XI gathered the nobles and informed them of the status of the city while sending orders to the admirals in Getares to intercept or capture Moorish ships trying to reach the Algeciras. He also sent his Almogavars to surround the city. Alfonso XI had built two separate bridges, one at Rio Barbate and another over a creek near Jerez. He also sent ships up the Rio Guadalete to supply his troops.

The July 25 of 1342 leaves Alfonso XI de Jerez accompanied by his troops and the gentlemen who were to accompany him in the siege of Algeciras: the Archbishop of Toledo, Bishop of Cádiz, the Master of Santiago, Don  Joan Alonso de Guzmán, Don But Ponce de Leon, Don Joan Nunez, Master of  Calatrava Nuño Chamizo,  Master of Alcántara, Fray Alfonso Ortiz Calderón,  Prior of San Juan and advice from Seville, Córdoba, Sherry Jaén, Ecija, Carmona and  Fog.

Castilian troops and their allies arrived at Getares 1st August  by 1600 soldiers and 4000 horse archers and lancers. The troops and squadrons of Aragon, Genoese and Castilians took position on a hill north of Algeciras on 3 August. The Tower of the champions, so called since that time, allowed an excellent view of the Muslim city and the roads which connect it to Gibraltar and eastern Andalusia. In the tower there exists the king resided in the first months of siege and she would bet about knights and nobles who accompanied him.

Algeciras besieged
From August 3, once established the main camp, the king of Castile sent to the Royal Engineers check those places where troops were positioned. The main objective was to prevent the withdrawal of troops from the city and the influx of reinforcements from the roads from Tarifa and Gibraltar. Algeciras fall of hunger rather than by force of arms. Viewing from the city that still had not been properly organize the site decided to send three hundred thousand men on horseback and on foot against the Master of Santiago, Joan Alfonso de Guzman, but Ponce and the council established in Seville Fonsario Gate. Algeciras against defenders of the men left the Duke of Lous that does not wait for the other Christians died under a cloud of arrows to get too close to the wall.

After verifying that the king could do damage to his commands in the following days to make a dig around Villa North leaving only three steps to prevent the departure from the city. Scaffolds were built next to the cellars and at regular intervals where they could wager without fear of being shot through several soldiers to stand guard at night. He also moved his camp to a place closer to the city and sends several of his men conquer the Tower Cartagena in the town of Carteia from where they could observe the movements of Marinids Gibraltar.

Faced with the impending war of King Pedro of Aragon against the Kingdom of Majorca the Aragonese fleet had to abandon the siege in early September. Because of this they had to take further steps to cause claudication of the city since the departure of the Aragonese fleet was harder the siege by sea and the city could be provisioned from Gibraltar. Are sent siege engines place near the northwest gate of the city where two great towers prevented the assault and protected the defenders. Taking advantage of these machines were built out of the Puerta de Xerez several of its supporters to prevent placement. Algeciras's strategy was to provoke the besiegers and make them closer to the walls. This technique, which allowed them to kill the Earl of Lous, was not known by the Christian knights less accustomed to the border and fight for it during the first months of siege killed many knights. In this raid against siege towers killed the squire of the King, Joan Child and the Master of Santiago and other men.

The siege dragged on and the King of Castile sent several of his men to seek help to maintain the site, the Archbishop of Toledo was sent to meet with the King of France while the Prior of St. Joan did the same with Papa Clement VI that had just been appointed. The besiegers were having more problems than they imagined at the beginning of the site. During the first days of October, a huge temporary breaks in Algeciras. The camp was located in the northwest in an area that traditionally flood these days becomes a mud washed down by the waters of Dry Creek. With the confusion created by the temporary advantage approaching Algeciras at night causing extensive damage. Flooding in the camp and forced to move around the camp and with him most of the troops at the mouth of the Rio Palmones where they spend the whole month until November. Soon after the camp site changed the main Christian Algeciras meet all its energy in the old town to attempt a desperate attack against their besiegers. The gentleman's game to reach the Muslims achieved recently established Christian camp and kill many gentlemen, including Sandoval and Diaz Gutier Lope Fernandez de Villagrand, vassals of Joan Nunez and Ruy Sanchez de Rojas, a vassal of the Master of Santiago.

Gradually, the situation became so desperate in the city and in the camp. In the Christian camp with food shortages after floods while the crowd of troops and animals and unsanitary conditions that caused it did sprout all kinds of infectious diseases. missing in Algeciras sea food due to the fence once the squad was back in command Aragon Mateo Mercader. During these first months of siege the Spaniards had not stopped throwing stones at the walls of the city while attempting to cause damage yaziríes direct combat and the use of various types of weapons such as ballista s, capable of firing large arrows. reach the field in December Christian Councils of Castile and Extremadura, with them closing the circle even further inland. It began to be placed around the city a large number of monsters ballistic while the Genoese had brought from the city do not stop launching arrows at those who install the machines.

During January of 1343 and continuing struggles in the city near to weaken the forces of both sides. He had built a large bastide of wood versus Fonsario Gate, led by  ubetense Iñigo López de Orozco, from which could be fired against above the city wall. This first bastide was burned soon after being built by an expedition that left the city, but was newly built and continued throughout the siege shooting the city.

In these days of Granada, King  Jusef ben Ismael was preparing to go to the relief supplies in the city. With the threat of Grenadian troops, increased attacks Fonsario Gate in the town's Old City, the weakest point but at the same time, the best fortified. Given that Alfonso XI ordered the construction of new cellars covered, so as to approach the walls of the city to place siege engines. From Algeciras while, they threw pieces of iron from weapons pirobalísticas, which caused extensive damage from the besiegers, the first pieces of artillery with gunpowder used in the peninsula. The bastides and champagne but still built around the city until they began to besiege all around. From the Castilian countryside smolder neurobalísticas weapons attacks, called catapult s, that download on the city bolaños massive amounts of stone, many of which were recovered from the pits by the same assailants who had thrown for do it again. These guns had a maximum range of three hundred yards, so they were likely to fall to a game of pass the besieged it achieved cava.

By this time reinforcements arrive to the field again Christian from various councils of Castile, including knights Juan Núñez de Lara and Don Juan Manuel, which could replace many of the soldiers who were wounded or were depleted by hunger.

From February to begin to build a barrier around the city by the sea in order to prevent the arrival of food coming from Gibraltar. The idea of the council of Castile settled in the camp, was circling the entire coast of the medina of Algeciras with chains would remain in place by logs. This fence ran from the tip of the Rodeo, south of the city, to Green Island and from this to the Beach Bricks north, and would be supported closely by the Christian armies.

Grenadines and Moroccan aid of Algeciras
residence during the siege of Algeciras by Egidio Boccanegra and clamps Castilian and Genoese.]] In May of 1343 a large army commanded by the Muslim king of Granada became the River Guadiaro approaching the city. Quickly Christian king sent to gather together the champions to see how they could cope with this new threat. From real send e Alfonso XI King Granada informing him that would lift the siege of the city if they paid tribute for it, the King of Granada made a truce offer, but it was not enough for the Spaniards.

In the same month of May Algeciras reach the site of many European knights called by the size of the undertaking being carried out: from Germany the Earl of Bous, from England Henry Plantagenet, Duke of Lancaster and the counts of Arby and Salisbury, from France Gaston de Bearn, count of Foix and his brother, and from the Kingdom of Navarre the king himself  Don Philip with supplies and troops.

Meanwhile, troops from Grenada not move from their positions awaiting the right moment to approach the city. During the months of June and July the situation in the siege was maintained as in previous ones. Cellars were constructed and bastides and fought in the arena, while from the city'sthunderas they were called to the Muslim novel gunpowder weapons, causing extensive damage to the siege forces.

In August of 1343 when negotiations were continuing between Castile and Granada who received the news that, from Morocco, King Abu al-Hasan 'Ali was preparing a fleet to come to the aid of the city. Faced with the imminent entry into the struggle of the Muslim forces from Granada and Morocco, for Christians it became necessary to accelerate plans for conquest of Algeciras. Both troops based in the Guadiaro as ships near Ceuta were prepared to assume a major battle in the area.

Simultaneously, Alfonso de Castilla receives news that the Pope would provide the kingdom 20,000 florins for the expenses of the company, and so would the king of France through the Archbishop of Toledo, Don Gil de Albornoz, with 50,000 guilders. With this money the Spaniards were able to pay the mercenaries s Genoese who had long demanded their pay. The passing strictures Christians the siege and the immediacy of combat from Granada and Morocco were known throughout the kingdom. The king of Castile had to pawn his crown and cast in Seville send some of their belongings after a fire silver, in those days, was reduced to ashes stores flour of the camp.

At the same time, Aragon ordered new ships to help maintain the site. Vice Admiral Valencia James Clerk arrives in mid-August to Algeciras with ten galleys on behalf of Aragon, joins Vice Admiral Matthew Mercer who already had so many there. Torremocha Silva, Antonio. Trade relationsbetween the Crown of Aragon and Algeciras in the mid-fourteenth century(2000) p.440  The ten boats Jaime Escribano and fifteen ships commanded by Admiral Castilian Egidiola di Bocanegra, was sent to [ [Ceuta]] intended to do maximum damage to the fleet of the King of Morocco, who was waiting at the port of arrival of the fleet from Granada to Algeciras turn to for help.

In a first encounter, Christians tried to surprise the Muslim fleet sent into battle only fifteen Castilian ships, while the Aragonese ships maneuvered as if preparing to go to the aid of the Moroccans.

The strategy was about to cost him dear to Morocco if it were not for from the ships of Castilla A sailor was caught before the final encounter and warned the Muslims of the ruse. The vessels of Ceuta returned rapidly to the port and the Christian fleet had to do the same back to the Bay of Gibraltar. Upon arrival at the fence, Bocanegra Egidiola di bet twenty of his ships in the port of Getares awaiting further news and in order to intercept the North Africans if they decided to strike the siege.

Fez troops across the strait
In October, the Moroccan fleet crossed the Straits of Gibraltar and reached the cove Getares. As soon as the first fires of the beacons were warned by the Christians, Castilian and Aragonese forty ships stationed themselves at the southern entrance of the city.

But ships from North Africa is not headed for Algeciras but took shelter in the nearby port of Gibraltar. The battle between galleys threatened to unleash, warned of this, the Genoese squadron began shipping everything they owned in order to leave. With all the equipment on their boats informed the king that if not paid what is owed them would leave the fence as they had done before other assailants, including the Duke of Fox with his knights. He was known in the fence Genoese sailors had been dealing with the Marinids of Gibraltar and even to those of Ceuta and relations between them were far from hostile. It was feared that in real, not having been paid, soldiers from Genoa to help Muslims in the approaching battle as had occurred during the siege of Alfonso X. The resolution of the king was to pay from its own resources the Genoa contented and welded to the soldiers who decided to continue the siege and remain faithful to the king. Also important were the loans that the Genoese merchants lent to the King of Castile during the siege and allowing it to quell the complaints of his soldiers.

The two teams failed to find in the waters of the bay, but the ships commanded by the Emir of Fez city docked in Gibraltar, where he left there a large number of soldiers, forty thousand foot and twelve thousand horsemen, according to some chronic joined the fleet of Abu al-Hasan 'Ali.

On arriving in November the king of Granada and the Prince of Morocco to the shores of river Palmones. The movements of troops from Gibraltar to the banks of Palmones were protected by a fleet of boats on the emir of Morocco that were at the center of the bay to prevent the Castilian-Aragonese fleet could land troops wherever they moved theirs. The Castilian real then ordered to burn the enemy ships throwing flammable material from their boats and bolts on and taking advantage of the strong East wind was blowing. Muslims prevented the fire but their ships sail by placing wet on deck and use long poles that prevented ships from approaching enemies.

In real quickly Castile had been warned of the arrival of the troops because the signals were led from the tower of the champions. Troops Islam sent a first group expedition to cross the river to reconnoitre of Castile while watching from the tower. Alfonso XI ordered that none of his knights attack the Granada until all their troops had crossed the river.

The siege of Algeciras in medieval sources
The main source used in the historiography of the siege, is theChronicle of Alfonso XIwhich recounts the main events of the reign of this monarch as the part concerning the siege of Algeciras is written in the Christian camp by royal scribes. This book recounts in detail the events as observed from outside the city dedicated in a chapter to each completed month. Castilian works are also the Poema de Alfonso Eleventh called Rhyming Chronicle written by Rodrigo Yanez as indicated in the same text and the letters by Matthew Merced, vice admiral of Aragon which are reports to his king on the entry of troops into the city. All of these sources, as presumably, recount the siege of the city from the perspective of the besiegers. Some of the few Arabic texts that directly concern the loss of the city are currently being translated with the goal of completing the story from this perspective.