Battle of Estercuel
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Estercuel took place on 6 July 975 between the forces of the Kingdom of Viguera
, under king Ramiro Garcés
, and those of the Caliphate of Córdoba
, under the kaid
of Zaragoza
, al-Tuyibi. The battle, a typical skirmish of the Christian
–Muslim
frontier, was a victory for the Caliphate. Several leading Navarrese
magnates were killed and Ramiro was injured.
The kaid of Zaragoza had been a participant in the campaign of Galib ibn Abd al-Rahman in the spring, but he appears to have left the expedition before the victory at San Esteban de Gormaz
. The forces of the Kingdom of Pamplona, under Sancho II Garcés Abarca
, Ramiro's half-brother, were also engaged at Gormaz, where they were defeated alongside the Castilians under García Fernández. The kaid was on the road to Zaragoza when he encountered a Christian army under Ramiro Garcés. The chief source for the encounter is the Muqtabis of Ibn Hayyan
, whose account of these years is derived directly from the so-called Anales palatinos ("palatine annals") of Isa ibn Ahmad-Razi:
The disorderly Christians crossed the river Ebro
at a ford and soon had lost four men and one captured. From the captive the kaid learned that the Christian army numbered some 500 cavalrymen who had had marched from Sos
, Ramiro's chief castle, thinking that the governor of Zaragoza was away in Gormaz. Surprised by the Muslim presence, Ramiro made for the Christian castle of al-Qastil, harassed by the Muslims all the way. According to Ibn Hayyan, the Muslims pursued the Christians until the asr
, the afternoon prayer. Probably this chase took place over the semiarid Bardenas mountains, terminating in the wooded valley of the river Aragón, in the region of Carcastillo
, Murillo el Fruto
, and Santacara
. The site of Estercuel was to the southeast of Tudela
, today uninhabited.
Although Ramiro made it to safety, thirty-three of his men were killed, among them Fortún Mahunis, Fortún López, Jimeno Fortún, and the adalides (captains) Íñigo Velázquez, Íñigo Galíndez, and García ibn Salit. Another forty-seven were captured and, among Ramiro's baggage, were found a silver-plated horn for calling the troops and a banner.
Ramiro's younger brother, Jimeno, appears as a hostage at the court of al-Hakim II
in Córdoba
later in 975. It has been speculated that he may have been exchanged for the liberty of Sancho II, who may have participated in and been captured at the battle of Estercuel.
Kingdom of Viguera
The Kingdom of Viguera was a short-lived pocket kingdom around the Navarrese town of Viguera from 970 to 1005. It is said to have been created by the testament of García Sánchez I of Pamplona for his second son, Ramiro Garcés, and comprised the region today called La Rioja...
, under king Ramiro Garcés
Ramiro Garcés of Viguera
Ramiro Garcés was the King of Viguera from 970 to his death. He was the son of García Sánchez I of Pamplona by his second wife, Theresa of León...
, and those of the Caliphate of Córdoba
Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ruled the Iberian peninsula and part of North Africa, from the city of Córdoba, from 929 to 1031. This period was characterized by remarkable success in trade and culture; many of the masterpieces of Islamic Iberia were constructed in this period, including the famous...
, under the kaid
Kaid
A kaid or caïd was a title in the Norman kingdom of Sicily. It applied to palatine officials and members of the curia, usually to those who were Muslims or converts from Islam, often eunuchs, but sometimes to others...
of Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, al-Tuyibi. The battle, a typical skirmish of the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
–Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
frontier, was a victory for the Caliphate. Several leading Navarrese
Kingdom of Navarre
The Kingdom of Navarre , originally the Kingdom of Pamplona, was a European kingdom which occupied lands on either side of the Pyrenees alongside the Atlantic Ocean....
magnates were killed and Ramiro was injured.
The kaid of Zaragoza had been a participant in the campaign of Galib ibn Abd al-Rahman in the spring, but he appears to have left the expedition before the victory at San Esteban de Gormaz
San Esteban de Gormaz
San Esteban de Gormaz is a municipality in the province of Soria in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon, Spain. Its population is approximately 3,500...
. The forces of the Kingdom of Pamplona, under Sancho II Garcés Abarca
Sancho II of Pamplona
Sancho II Garcés Abarca was King of Pamplona from 970 until his death. He was the son of García Sánchez I and Andregota, daughter of Galindo Aznárez II, Count of Aragon...
, Ramiro's half-brother, were also engaged at Gormaz, where they were defeated alongside the Castilians under García Fernández. The kaid was on the road to Zaragoza when he encountered a Christian army under Ramiro Garcés. The chief source for the encounter is the Muqtabis of Ibn Hayyan
Ibn Hayyan
Abu Marwán Hayyán Ibn Khalaf Ibn Hayyan al-Qurtubi , usually known as Ibn Hayyan, was a Muslim historian from Al-Andalus.Born at Córdoba, he was an important official at the court of the Andalusian ruler al-Mansur and published several works on history which have only survived in part...
, whose account of these years is derived directly from the so-called Anales palatinos ("palatine annals") of Isa ibn Ahmad-Razi:
. . . upon separating from the army [of Galib] on Tuesday, 22 Sawall [5/6 July], he [al-Tuyibi] ran into the train of the pig Ramiro ibn Sancho, and he followed said train, sending to tell the chief of the advance posts about the mountain Bárdena, on the other side of the river Ebro: "Carefully keep watch for a large troop of cavalry that, at dawn, will cross in the direction of the river". In effect, little time passed before the alarm was given that the enemy had appeared beside the town of Estercuel (a half a day's ride from the city of Tudela, on the royal road that comes up from Zaragoza) and before some Christian cavalry forces had scattered throughout the region, to the right and to the left, in the manner of a raid, and were going about seizing whatever booty they encountered and taking captive five men who were out fishing in those valleys.
The disorderly Christians crossed the river Ebro
Ebro
The Ebro or Ebre is one of the most important rivers in the Iberian Peninsula. It is the biggest river by discharge volume in Spain.The Ebro flows through the following cities:*Reinosa in Cantabria.*Miranda de Ebro in Castile and León....
at a ford and soon had lost four men and one captured. From the captive the kaid learned that the Christian army numbered some 500 cavalrymen who had had marched from Sos
Sos del Rey Católico
Sos del Rey Católico is a historic town and municipality located in the comarca of Cinco Villas, province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain.-History:Sancho I of Pamplona founded Sos, in either 907 or 908, as a border town during the Reconquista....
, Ramiro's chief castle, thinking that the governor of Zaragoza was away in Gormaz. Surprised by the Muslim presence, Ramiro made for the Christian castle of al-Qastil, harassed by the Muslims all the way. According to Ibn Hayyan, the Muslims pursued the Christians until the asr
Asr
The Asr prayer is the afternoon daily prayer recited by practising Muslims. It is the third of the five daily prayers . The five daily prayers collectively are one pillar of the Five Pillars of Islam, in Sunni Islam, and one of the ten Practices of the Religion according to Shia Islam...
, the afternoon prayer. Probably this chase took place over the semiarid Bardenas mountains, terminating in the wooded valley of the river Aragón, in the region of Carcastillo
Carcastillo
Carcastillo is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, in the north of Spain. It is the site of the Cistercian monastery of Santa María de la Oliva.-External links:*...
, Murillo el Fruto
Murillo El Fruto
Murillo El Fruto is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.-External links:*...
, and Santacara
Santacara
Santacara is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain.-External links:*...
. The site of Estercuel was to the southeast of Tudela
Tudela, Navarre
Tudela is a municipality in Spain, the second city of the autonomous community of Navarre. Its population is around 35,000. Tudela is sited in the Ebro valley. Fast trains running on two-track electrified railways serve the city and two freeways join close to it...
, today uninhabited.
Although Ramiro made it to safety, thirty-three of his men were killed, among them Fortún Mahunis, Fortún López, Jimeno Fortún, and the adalides (captains) Íñigo Velázquez, Íñigo Galíndez, and García ibn Salit. Another forty-seven were captured and, among Ramiro's baggage, were found a silver-plated horn for calling the troops and a banner.
Ramiro's younger brother, Jimeno, appears as a hostage at the court of al-Hakim II
Al-Hakim II
-Bibliography:...
in Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
later in 975. It has been speculated that he may have been exchanged for the liberty of Sancho II, who may have participated in and been captured at the battle of Estercuel.