The last Christian defenders of Alarcos

On July 19, 1195, Alfonso VIII did not want to wait for the help of the King of Navarre who was approaching with his army on a forced march from the north. Victory belonged only to him: he felt invincible. He believed that his heavy cavalry, between 800 and 1000 horsemen, and the almost 5,000 infantry at his command would be more than enough to defeat the numerous armies of the caliph Abu Yaqub al-Mansur (the Miramamolín, as the Christians referred to the prince and his followers). He left the castle of Alarcos (Ciudad Real) that he was building and extended the army at the foot of the unfinished fortress. He was mistaken. It turned out to be a carnage for the Castilians.

Remains of the wall next to which the remains of the soldiers have been found
[Credit: University of Castilla–La Mancha]

The University of Castile-La Mancha has completed the campaign to excavate the remains of the castle's moat, which involved the exhumation of the bodies of those who resisted in the fortress to facilitate the king's escape: the remains of 200 Christians have been revealed more than 800 years later. Many of them are now being examined in laboratories.

Remains of the wall next to which the remains of the soldiers have been found
[Credit: University of Castilla–La Mancha]

Antonio de Juan, professor of Medieval Archaeology at the University of Ciudad Real, recalls the battle of Alarcos at the foot of the castle excavated by his team. "There, in Poblete, the Almohads set up their camp," he says. "Here, by the castle, are the Christians. And the combat took place right here, on those farms across the street that are cultivated, two arrow shots away, as the chronicles had noted. We are stepping on the battlefield of Alarcos."

Sections of the wall unfinished by Alfonso VIII under which the moat with the bodies of the Christian
soldiers were found [Credit: University of Castilla–La Mancha]

And he passionately blends the history of the struggle with a desire to introduce new technologies - including virtual reality - into the site of a battle that delayed the Christian advance to the capital of al-Àndalus by 18 years.

Unfinished walls of the castle of Alarcos. The fortress was taken over by the Almohads after the battle
[Credit: University of Castilla–La Mancha]

The excavations, which began in 1984 and extend to the present day, have made it possible to recover a 22-hectare historic site, as well as the creation of an archaeological park that can be visited, which includes the remains of a first Iberian settlement from the 5th to 3rd centuries BC, the walls of a Muslim fortification of the 10th century, the castle and the unfinished city of Alfonso VIII and the construction of an Almohad neighbourhood (houses and streets) inside the fortress after the Christian defeat. In addition, and in perfect state of preservation after its restoration, one can visit the hermitage of the Virgin of Alarcos, with Romanesque elements and Gothic design.

Trench with the remains of the Christian soldiers
[Credit: University of Castilla–La Mancha]

The latest research has focused on the interior of the castle and its walls, which has resulted in a perfectly dated Almohad assemblage, as the Muslim occupation of the fortress only spanned 17 years. In this period, the inhabitants produced numerous ceramic pieces, of which a large jar stands out, which has been restored and which specialists describe as "exceptional". This jewel has been exhibited in Talavera de la Reina in the ATempora exhibition this month and will be moved to Burgos in April.

Horse found in the excavations of the wall of Alarcos
[Credit: University of Castilla–La Mancha]

The battle began on 18 July with the Christians marching out onto the battlefield, protected by their heavy armour under a scorching sun. The Muslims did not respond. They remained stationed in their camps. The Christians waited, exhausted and thirsty, for several hours, until they decided to return to the castle. The next day, Al-Mansur's troops were deployed in orderly ranks. The vizier, Abu Yahya, was positioned in the centre, with the main body and carrying the caliphal banner to attract the Castilians. Behind, the caliph stood men chosen from the Black Guard.

Stirrups, spurs and horseshoes found at the site
[Credit: University of Castilla–La Mancha]

The Christians, deployed on the hills, sent the heavy cavalry - with the knights of Calatrava and Santiago and the armies of Archbishop Martin at the front - against the Almohad army: hundreds of horses "covered with iron" against the Hispano-Muslim rapid movements supported by archers and crossbowmen. Abú Yahya was killed during the Christian onslaught. The caliphal rearguard then attacked by the wings. They caught the Christians unprepared and "sowed panic," De Juan explains.

Spear tip found at the site [Credit: University of Castilla–La Mancha]

Alfonso VIII was forced to flee. To facilitate his departure, a group of knights remained in the castle, delaying the Muslim troops. They could not resist very long. The now completed excavation has culminated in the recovery of a total of 200 remains, which were not in an anatomical position, but piled up to form a kind of mass grave, on the outside of the wall, and mixed with animal remains. During the last excavation campaign a large quantity of weapons was also found: different types of arrows, darts, spearheads (some up to 56 centimetres in length), knives, sickles and short swords.

Aerial view of the castle of Alarcos, erected on a hill in the province of Ciudad Real
[Credit: University of Castilla–La Mancha]

There are no certain numbers about the battle of Alarcos. The Arab chronicler Ibn Idari maintained that 30,000 Christians died and 5,000 were taken prisoner, as opposed to 500 Muslims who died in battle. Ibn al Atir, on the other hand, speaks of 146,000 deaths of Alfonso VIII and 24,000 Mohammedans.

View of the battlefield, crossed by the river Guadiana
[Credit: University of Castilla–La Mancha]

Archaeological data, explains Antonio de Juana, have not yet allowed precise calculations to be established, but the professor believes that the figures for both armies would not exceed 5,000 or 6,000 soldiers on the Christian side and between 8,000 or 10,000 in the army of Al-Mansur.

Castle of Calatrava la Vieja, which the Christians captured before the battle of Navas de Tolosa
[Credit: University of Castilla–La Mancha]

After the battle, the Christians, who lost most of their noble elite, retreated to Toledo, but the Muslims did not take advantage of their victory. In 1212, in the nearby Navas de Tolosa, Alfonso VIII managed to regroup his forces with other Christian kings, "and with well-learned Muslim tactics," says De Juan, he achieved a decisive victory: the Christian kingdoms would advance south over the next three centuries.

Remains of Christian soldiers who took part in the battle of Alarcos (1195)

[Credit: University of Castilla–La Mancha/EPV]

Alarcos and its unfinished castle, given their already negligible strategic value, were dismantled, but the archaeological work will last for decades. Its stones were used to build the nearby Villa Real (now Ciudad Real). In fact, among the oldest buildings in the capital are found the best ashlars of the castle of Alarcos, where 200 soldiers died to secure the escape of their king.

Source: El Pais [April 25, 2019]