Sack of Talamanca (1196)
| Sack of Talamanca | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Reconquista and Spanish Christian–Muslim War of 1172–1212 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Kingdom of Castile |
 Almohad Caliphate | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Unknown |
Yaqub al-Mansur | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| The entire city destroyed, massacred and enslaved | None or low | ||||||
The Sack of Talamanca occurred in 1196 during the Almohad campaign against the Christian kingdom of Castile in the Iberian Peninsula. The city of Talamanca de Jarama, a key center in the Kingdom of Castile, was attacked and plundered by Almohad forces led by Caliph Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur. This event was part of the broader Almohad campaign against Castile, which spanned from 1196 to 1197.[1]
Background
[edit]After their victory at the Battle of Alarcos in 1195, the Almohads aimed to expand their influence in the Iberian Peninsula. The defeat of the Castilian forces at Alarcos opened the way for further Almohad incursions. The Almohad Caliph, Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur, targeted Salamanca as part of his strategy to consolidate gains.[2]
The Sack
[edit]In the summer of 1196, Almohad forces besieged Talamanca de Jarama as part of their broader campaign. The siege caused considerable damage to the city’s defenses. Despite the resistance from the local garrison and inhabitants, the Almohad troops eventually breached the city walls.
Following the capture of the city, the Almohads carried out a brutal sack. The male inhabitants were massacred, and many others were taken captive. The Almohad forces looted valuables and inflicted significant destruction on the city’s infrastructure.[3]
Aftermath
[edit]The sack of Talamanca de Jarama was part of the broader Almohad campaign against Castile (1196-1197). Although the Almohads achieved immediate success.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ Lapène 1845, p. 148.
- ^ a b Paquis 1844, p. 45.
- ^ Rosseeuw Saint-Hilaire 1844, p. 29.
Bibliography
[edit]- Colonel Lapène (1845). "Tableau Historique de l'Algérie Depuis l'Occupation Romaine jusqu'à la Conquête par les Français en 1830" [Historical Description of Algeria from the Roman Occupation to the Conquest by the French in 1830]. Mémoires de l'Académie Royale de Metz (in French). Metz: Bureau de Académie.
- Paquis (1844). Histoire d'Espagne et de Portugal volume 2 (in French).
- Rosseeuw Saint-Hilaire, Eugène (1844). Histoire d'Espagne depuis les premiers temps historiques jusqu'à la mort de Ferdinand VII (in French).