The Battle of Clavijo - the alleged battle between the King of Asturias Ramiro I and the Muslims, which occurred on May 23, 844 near Clavijo ( Rioja ), one of the most famous battles of the Reconquista [1] . According to legend, the Asturians defeated the Muslims, inspired by the appearance of St. James . Some historians question the reality of this battle, citing the lack of archaeological finds in the battle area [2] . Nevertheless, this event has become an important element in the formation of the Spanish national identity [3] .
| Battle of Clavicho | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Conflict: Reconquista | |||
 Clavijo Castle | |||
| date | May 23, 844 | ||
| A place | Clavijo , Rioja ( Spain ) | ||
| Total | The victory of the Asturians | ||
| Opponents | |||
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| Commanders | |||
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Battle Course
The reason for the battle was the refusal of Ramiro I of Asturias to continue to pay tribute to the Arab emirs, in particular, to send them 100 virgins. Christian troops led by Ramiro I advanced against the Muslims of Emir Abd al-Rahman II , but in the Nahera region they were surrounded by a large Muslim army. As a result, Ramiro with the army was blocked in the castle of Clavijo . The chronicles say that Ramiro had a dream in which the apostle James appeared to him, promising the king his presence in battle and victory. According to legend, on the day of the battle, Ramiro I and his warriors were inspired by the appearance of the apostle on a white horse, which helped them defeat the Muslims [4] .
On May 25, in the city of Calahorra, a king between Christians and Muslims reached a compromise agreement called Voto de Santiago . The legend of the participation of the Apostle Jacob in the battle of Clavijo greatly contributed to the development of the Christian pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela . In reality, such pilgrimages began no earlier than the 12th century [5] . However, from that time on, the apostle James became a symbol of the struggle against Islam - Santiago Matamoros .
Notes
- ↑ Martínez Díez, Gonzalo (2005). El Condado de Castilla (711-1038): la historia frente a la leyenda I. 2 volúmenes. Valladolid p. 143. ISBN 84-9718-276-6 .
- ↑ JJ Sayas Abengochea y LA García Moreno, 1981, Historia de España dirigida por Manuel Tuñón de Lara II. Romanismo y Germanismo: el despertar de ls pueblos hispánicos . Labor, Madrid.
- ↑ 1121 Aniversario de la batalla de Clavijo año 1965
- ↑ Batalla de Clavijo: Santiago Apóstol se transforma en matamoros y peregrino .
- ↑ Collins, Roger (1983). Early Medieval Spain. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 236. ISBN 0-312-22464-8 .