The three greatest epic battles in the history of Andalusia were led by Amazighs
Tariq Ibn Ziyad Al-Nafzi: Battle of Shadhunah or Wadi Lekka - July 19, 711 AD
The Battle of Wadi Lekka, the Battle of Shadhunah, or the Battle of the Burbat Plain is a battle that took place on Ramadan 28, 92 AH/July 19, 711 AD between the forces of the Umayyad state led by Tariq bin Ziyad and the Visigothic army led by King Roderick, who is known in Islamic sources as Ladhriq. The Umayyads won a landslide victory in that battle, which led to the fall of the Visigothic state, and thus the fall of most of the lands of the Iberian Peninsula under the control of the Umayyads.
The two forces met on Ramadan 28, 92 AH, in a battle that lasted for eight days, ending with a major defeat for the Goths, after Roderick was exposed to betrayal within his army that led to this great Islamic victory. According to Mozarabic historiography, Roderick's rivals aspiring to power contributed to the defeat of the Visigoths.
The collapse of the Gothic army resulted in the loss of a large number of soldiers, while the Muslims lost at most 3,000 men. As for the fate of Roderick, Islamic sources say that his traces disappeared after the battle, but they indicate that he died drowned in the mud by the Muslims finding Roderick’s white horse drowned in a muddy pool, and the presence of a slipper immersed in the mud, through which they suggested that he drowned in the mud.
The battle paved the way for the completion of the Islamic conquest of Andalusia, and the motive behind the rapid Muslim advance was the confusion that befell the Goths after the crushing defeat of their army and the killing of the king, which led to the rapid fall of the capital, which prevented the election of a new king or the establishment of a resistance force. Apart from that, the conspirators did not expect that their request for Arab help to regain power in exchange for spoils would cost them such a high price, nor were they aware of the true intentions of the Arabs’ entry.
Yusuf Ibn Tashfin Al-Sanhaji: Battle of Zallaqa - October 23, 1086 AD
The Battle of Zalaga or the Battle of Zalaga Plain (in Spanish: Batalla de Sagrajas) (Friday 12 Rajab 479 AH / 23 October 1086), is considered the first major battle that the Iberian Peninsula witnessed in the Middle Ages and one of the most prominent major battles in Islamic history. In it, the Emir of the Muslims, Yusuf Ibn Tashfin, the leader of the Almoravid, supported by an Andalusian army led by Al-Mu'tamid Ibn Abbad, owner of Seville, was able to inflict a major defeat on a Christian Castilian army led by Alfonso VI, King of Castile and Leon. The battle took place after the deterioration of the conditions of Andalusia, as a result of the fighting between its princes, which led to some of them submitting to the authority of Alfonso VI and paying tribute to him. This situation ended with the fall of Toledo into the hands of Alfonso and his army in the year 478 AH, corresponding to 1085 AD, that is, one year before the Battle of Zallaqa. As a result, the people of Andalusia and their princes sent embassies and letters to Prince Yusuf Ibn Tashfin asking for help and asking him for relief and support. He responded to them and crossed the sea with the Almoravid army to support the Muslims of Andalusia, and the Andalusian army united with the Almoravid army into a large army led by Ibn Tashfin. The army marched until it reached the Zallaqa Plain, and Alfonso VI marched to it with a large army gathered from all over Europe, and a great battle took place between the two armies, which ended with a great victory for the Muslims and the defeat of the Christian Castilian army.
The Battle of Zallaqa had a major impact on the Islamic history of Andalusia, as it stopped the steady advance of the Christian kingdoms in the north of the Iberian Peninsula onto the lands of Andalusia. But due to the laxity of the Taifa kings, Yusuf bin Tashfin was forced to return again to support Andalusia in the year 481 AH, corresponding to 1088 AD. He laid siege to the fort of Layit, which was a base for launching raids on the lands of Andalusia, and the siege ended with the capture of the fort. Yusuf bin Tashfin then decided to end the rule of the Taifa kings after he found betrayals among them by concluding alliances with Alfonso VI, their arch enemy. By the year 484 AH, corresponding to 1091 AD, the Almoravids had annexed most of the lands of Andalusia, except for the Zaragoza sect, which maintained its independence until the year 503 AH, when the Almoravid leader annexed it. Muhammad bin Al-Hajj Al-Latouni to the Sultan of the Almoravids.
Abu Yusuf Yaqoub Al-Mansur Al-Mawhadi: Battle of Al-Ark - July 18, 1195 AD
The Battle of Al-Ark is a battle that took place on July 18, 1195 (Shaban 9, 591 AH) between the Almohad forces led by Sultan Abu Yusuf Yaqub Al-Mansur and the forces of King Alfonso VIII of Castile. The battle played a major role in consolidating Almohad rule in Andalusia and expanding their country’s territory there. Alfonso was then forced to request a truce from the Almohad Sultan Abu Yusuf al-Mansur. Historians consider it a parallel to the Battle of Zallaqa in terms of its impact on the Christians of Iberia.
The battle took place near the Castle of Alarco, which was the border point between Castile and Andalusia at that time. Therefore, Muslims attribute the battle to this castle, and Christians also attribute the name of the battle to this castle (Alarcos) and call it the Catastrophe of Alarco due to the great disaster they suffered in it.
The Christians believed that victory was upon them and that the circle had turned against the Muslims after they had destroyed the heart of the Almohad army, but the Andalusians, led by Ibn Sanadi and some of the clans of his harlots, who were the right wing, then attacked the heart of the Castilian army, thereby weakening the advance of the Castilian knights, and he was in command of it. The king of Castile himself, surrounded by ten thousand of the most skilled knights, including the knights of Daoism and the knights of Rabah Castle, Alfonso faced the Muslims led by Ibn Sanadid without fear, and they were able to besiege the Castiles and separate the front of their army from the rear. Meanwhile, Sultan Al-Mansur came out, and all sections of the Islamic army cooperated to overthrow the besieged Castilians - who were the majority of the army - and killed many of them, and the rest fled.
After that, the Muslims, led by Al-Mansur, began, led by the white Almohad banner with the inscription: “There is no god but God, Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and there is no victor but God.” He advanced toward what remained of the Christian army, which were several thousand knights who gathered around Alfonso VIII, swearing not to leave the battlefield. Even if it was their end and the Castilians resisted violently until most of them were killed. Alfonso fled the battlefield to Toledo, his capital.
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