Reconquista

We follow King James I of Aragon and King Alfonso IX of Leon as they go on the offensive.

As Caliphs come and go at a dizzying rate, Almohad rule in al-Andalus crumbles - giving rise to a new ruler, ibn Hud.

King Fernando III of Castile embarks on his first crusade, while one of the contenders for Caliph forms an unlikely alliance with Castile.

As crusading fever sweeps across Europe, a number of crusades are launched against the Almohads - with mixed results.

We welcome a new King to the throne of Castile and join the Portugese in a crusade to seize a Muslim stronghold to the south of Lisbon.

A bunch of consequential deaths in the years following the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, upend the politics of the Iberian peninsula.

We conclude our look at the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, which ends in a decisive victory for the crusaders.

It's crusade time!  A major crusading expedition leaves Toledo in June 1212 under the command of King Alfonso VIII of Castile.  It heads directly southwards, intending to confront the Caliph's forces.  

After a decade-long period of peace, the Christians and Muslims of the Iberian peninsula clash once again, with the Caliph targetting the Christian stronghold of Salvatierra.

A decade long period of peace between the Almohads and the Christians commences, leaving the Christian kings free to do what they do best - fight each other.

Following its loss at the Battle of Alarcos, the Kingdom of Castile faces an existential threat in 1196 as it is attacked simultaneously by Leon, Navarre and the Almohads.

The truces between the Christian rulers and the Caliph expire and both sides clash at the Battle of Alarcos in 1195.

During the years 1190 and 1191, the Caliph launches a number of military campaigns against the Kingdom of Portugal, intent on reclaiming the town of Silves.

Following the bunch of deaths which occurred in the last episode, we have a bunch of new Christian kings - most of whom are named Alfonso.  

As the Third Crusade is launched, we see the new king of Portugal, King Sancho I, join with a fleet of crusaders to attack the Muslim town of Silves. 

 We cover the Caliph's campaign against the Christians in 1184 and wave goodbye to three major players from our narrative.

We track the progress of the two new kids on the block in Christian Spain - King Alfonso VIII of Castile and King Alfonso II of Aragon.

We continue to follow the Caliph on his less than optimal military campaign against the Christians in 1172.

In 1172 the Caliph embarks on an ambitious campaign to conquer Christian Spain.

The Almohads finally achieve their goal, becoming the uncontested rulers of al-Andalus.  Their next move will be to focus on defeating the Christians.

When the new Caliph turns his attention to al-Andalus, he concentrates on two threats - the Portugese freelancer Geraldo the Fearless and the Almohad's traditional foe the Wolf King.