Battle of Alcoraz
Battle of Alcoraz | |||||||||
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Part of Battles of the Reconquista | |||||||||
![]() Peter receiving a shield emblazoned with St George's Cross. | |||||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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- v
- t
- e
- 8th century
- Covadonga
- 1st Roncevaux Pass
- Burbia River
- Orbieu River
- Lutos
- Las Babias
- Río Quirós
- Oviedo
- 1st Lisbon
- 9th century
- 1st Barcelona
- 1st Tortosa
- Pancorbo
- 2nd Roncevaux Pass
- Clavijo
- Albelda
- Guadalacete
- Monte Laturce
- Morcuera
- Polvoraria
- 1st Cellorigo
- 2nd Cellorigo
- 2nd Barcelona
- 10th century
- Day of Zamora
- Pallars and Ribagorza
- 1st San Esteban de Gormaz
- 2nd San Esteban de Gormaz
- Valdejunquera
- 1st Toledo
- Alhandic
- Simancas
- Estercuel
- Torrevicente
- Rueda
- 3rd Barcelona
- 11th century
- Cervera
- Calatañazor
- Torà
- Albesa
- Aqbat al-Bakr
- Graus
- Coimbra
- Barbastro
- Paterna
- Llantada
- Golpejera
- Cabra
- Piedra Pisada
- Morella
- 2nd Toledo
- 1st Zaragoza
- Sagrajas
- Tudela
- Tévar
- 3rd Toledo
- 1st Valencia
- 2nd Lisbon
- Alcoraz
- Bairén
- Consuegra
- 4th Toledo
- 5th Toledo
- 12th century
- 2nd Valencia
- Mollerussa
- Uclés
- Norwegian raid
- 3rd Lisbon
- Talavera
- Formentera
- Ibiza
- 1st Balearic Islands
- 6th Toledo
- Candespina
- 1st Santarém
- 2nd Balearic Islands
- Martorell
- Coimbra
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- Cutanda
- 1st Granada
- Corbins
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- Aceca
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- Fraga
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- Ourique
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- Trancoso
- 2nd Coria
- 4th Lisbon
- 1st Montiel
- Albacete
- 1st Almería
- Al-Ludjdj
- 2nd Santarém
- Sacavém
- 5th Lisbon
- 2nd Tortosa
- 2nd Almería
- 1st Alcácer do Sal
- 2nd Badajoz
- Juromenha
- Central Iberia
- Cuenca
- Calatrava
- 3rd Santarém
- Alvor
- 1st Silves
- Tomar
- 2nd Alcácer do Sal
- 2nd Silves
- Alarcos
- Salamanca
- 13th century
- Al-Dāmūs
- Las Navas de Tolosa
- 3rd Alcácer do Sal
- 1st Jaén
- Peníscola
- Aragonese raid
- Majorca
- 2nd Jaén
- 1st Jerez
- Ares
- Burriana
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- El Puig
- 4th Valencia
- Algarve
- 1st Xàtiva
- 2nd Xàtiva
- Biar
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- 2nd Seville
- Faro
- 2nd Jerez
- Mudéjar revolt
- 3rd Jerez
- 1st Murcia
- Écija
- Martos
- Montesa
- 1st Algeciras
- 2nd Algeciras
- Moclín
- Iznalloz
- 14th century
- 1st Gibraltar
- 3rd Algeciras
- Almería
- 2nd Gibraltar
- Vega de Granada
- Shepherds' Crusade
- Teba
- 3rd Gibraltar
- 4th Gibraltar
- Vega de Pagana
- Getares
- Río Salado
- Estepona
- 4th Algeciras
- 5th Gibraltar
- Linuesa
- Guadix
- 2nd Montiel
- 5th Algeciras
- 2nd Murcia
- 15th century
- Collejares
- Antequera
- 6th Gibraltar
- La Higueruela
- 7th Gibraltar
- Los Alporchones
- 8th Gibraltar
- 9th Gibraltar
- 2nd Granada campaign
- Lucena
- Málaga
- Post-Reconquista Rebellions
- 1st Alpujarras
- 2nd Alpujarras
- North Africa
The Battle of Alcoraz took place between 1094 and 1096 outside Huesca, pitting the besieging forces of Peter I of Aragon and Navarre against the allied forces of Al-Musta'in II of the Taifa of Zaragoza and García Ordóñez de Nájera and Gonzalo Núñez de Lara representing Alfonso VI of León and Castille.
The siege had begun some two years earlier, in 1094, with Peter's father, Sancho Ramírez, who was encamped at the time in the Castle of Montearagon intent on retaking the City of Huesca from the Moors. While inspecting the siege efforts around the ramparts of Huesca, Sancho was struck and killed by an arrow. His son continued the siege, finally defeating the allied troops of Al-Musta'in that had come up from Zaragoza on the fields of Alcoraz, just outside of Huesca.
Later legends hold that during the battle, Saint George appeared above the crown of Aragon, to inspire the Christian army who were heavily outnumbered in this first Reconquista. This parallels the legendary story of the Battle of Clavijo, over two hundred years earlier, where Saint James was similarly alleged to have appeared before the Christian forces of the Kingdom of Asturias in the battle against the Saracen armies.
The heraldic war shield known as the Cross of Alcoraz which commemorated the battle was later adopted as the personal coat of arms of King Peter III of Aragon and subsequently incorporated into the flag of the Kingdom of Aragon where it remains to this day.
References
- Antonio Ubieto Arteta. 1951. Una narración de la batalla de Alcoraz atribuida al abad pinatense Aimerico. Argensola: Revista de Ciencias Sociales del Instituto de Estudios Altoaragoneses, 7:245–56.
42°09′13″N 0°20′39″W / 42.15361°N 0.34417°W / 42.15361; -0.34417