8th CENTENARY OF THE BATTLE OF NAVAS DE TOLOSA

In Spain, we commemorate on 16th July the 8th Centenary of the Battle of Navas de Tolosa, an event in which the Christian kingdoms were victorious over their Muslim overlords. The battle took place on 16th July 1212, in the town of Navas de Tolosa in the Jaen region, where King Alfonso VIII of Castile, having struck alliances with the sovereigns Sancho VII of Navarre, known as The Strong, and Pedro the Catholic of Aragon, challenged the Arab Almohad army led by the caliph An-Nasir. The battle can be categorised as a crusade since it had the support of Pope Innocent III. The victory of the Christian armies led to their expansion throughout the south of the peninsula, was the first step in the decline of Muslim power and gave a major boost to the Reconquista.