Siege of Alcácer do Sal (1191)

Siege of Alcácer do Sal (1191)
Part of Portuguese Reconquista and Almohad campaign against Portugal (1190–1191)
Alcácer do Sal Castle
Date April - June 1191 Location Alcácer do Sal Result Almohad victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Portugal	Almohad Caliphate
Commanders and leaders
Unknown	Yaqub al-Mansur
Strength
Unknown	14 Trebuchets
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

In 1191, the Almohads besieged the city of Alcácer do Sal which the Portuguese held. The siege was part of the Almohad campaign against Portugal in 1191. The Almohads succeeded in capturing the city.

In April 1158, Afonso I of Portugal launched a campaign against the Muslims in Alcácer do Sal. His attack on the city was the fourth. After a siege of four months and hard fighting, the city was captured by the Portuguese on 24 June.^[1] In 1190, the Almohad Caliph, Yaqub al-Mansur, returned to Seville after a failed campaign against Silves.^[2] The Caliph made preparations to resume his campaign, recruited many, and gathered many siege weapons.^[3][4]

The Caliph decided to resume his campaign against Portugal and on 28 April 1191, he left Seville and crossed the Guadiana River.^[5][6][7] The Caliph's first target was Alcácer do Sal, located east-south of Lisbon and close to Sado River.^[8] It was chosen as the access from the sea that could reinforce the Almohads with necessary supplies.^[9] When the Almohads reached there, the Caliph began dividing his forces, and the servants and slaves began filling the city's trenches from four sides.^[10] After this, the Almohads launched an assault against the walls, however, the Portuguese garrison bombarded the Almohads with a heavy barrage of stones and arrows, wounding many Almohad soldiers. When the Caliph saw this, he ordered the fighting to stop for three days and resume the attack with another strong attack.^[11][12][13]

During the siege, a part of the Almohad navy entered the river next to the city, carrying strong siege weapons. For instance, the Almohads erected fourteen trebuchets around the city.^[14][15] On June 10, the order was given to the troops to assault the walls. The Muslims assaulted the walls from every section while the trebuchets were heavily bombarding the walls. The attack peaked, and when things worsened, the Portuguese garrison quickly called to surrender. The garrison was allowed safe departure through the sea. The Caliph began repairing the city, garrisoned with strong men, and supplied them.^[16][17][18]

• Muhammad Abdullah Enan (1964), The State of Islam in Andalusia, Vol. III: The Era of Almoravids and Almohads, Part 2.[1]
• Hugh Kennedy (2014), Muslim Spain and Portugal, A Political History of Al-Andalus. [2]
• S. Lay (2008), The Reconquest Kings of Portugal, Political and Cultural Reorientation on the Medieval Frontier. [3]