Part I: Tragedy strikes cruelly.
1080 (Starting balance: 9000 florins.) Vaasco marched north towards Zaragoza. A diplomat was hired to communicate with the Moors.
1082 (6593 florins.) Council of nobles gave mission to take Valencia. Vaasco marched east towards Valencia. Spain observed that the Portuguese had besieged Zaragoza with a small army. Princess Teresa traded maps and trade rights with Portugal.
1084 (4761 florins.) Vaasco besieged Zaragoza. Princess Urraca established an alliance with Portugal. Urraca married Prince Affonso of Portugal. Princess Teresa marries Diago Santiago Trade rights were established with the Moors.
1086 (1992 florins) Vaasco stormed Zaragoza [b1].
King Alfonso recruited two mercenary spears and advanced on Valencia.
1088 (1137 florins) Alfonso camped within a day's march of Valencia. Prince Rodrigo dispatched two regiments of Spear Milita to reinforce Toledo's garrison.
1090 (862 florins) Alfonso ordered the fateful assault on Valencia with the main army of Spain [b2].
Story: The death of Alfonso, 1090
“So this is Valencia?”
King Alfonso felt uneasy as he donned his armour. Moor and Christian alike honoured the Cid, and here he was, facing the bravest knight and most feared general that Spain had ever known, doubtful even of the loyalty of his own men. His authority had always been weak after the death of his brother, Sancho of Leon. Many accused him of arranging the death of his brother in order to inherit his brother's kingdom. Alfonso had not forgotten the fact the Cid had humiliated him before his subjects. What was more, rumours had spread that he was uninhibited, reducing his authority even further. Not even Vaasco's storming of Zaragoza had increased his standing in the eyes of his subjects.
He had hesitated in ordering the attack, but when he heard that a band of Moors were roaming in the vicinity, he reluctantly agreed.
Alfonso, in his caution, had not come to Valencia unprepared. His numerous army contained two companies of mailed knights, one regiment of peasant archers, two regiments of town militia, three regiments of jinetes, and finally, two companies of mercenary spearmen. It was upon these and his knights that Alfonso was relying upon to bludgeon their way into the city.
A short while before the spy inside Valencia was due to open the gates, Alfonso lined up his men. He realised that breaking into the city would require attack the walls at two different points simultaneously. He placed the mercenary spearmen outside the main gatehouse, while the poorly trained and ill-equipped town militia would create a diversion by attacking the eastern city of the city.
Suddenly, Alfonso noticed a small yellow flag appear from the gatehouses – the gates were unlocked!
“Forward men! Honour your king!” Alfonso shouted as he gave the order to attack.
Under the cover of the peasant archers, the mercenary spearmen surged forward, and a moment later to the east of the castle, the town militia, hearing Alfonso's words, soon followed.
The mercenary spearmen burst through the unlocked gates and immediately encountered jinetes and mailed knights. The mercenaries fought bravely and managed to hold back the horsemen until a company of Spanish knights came to their assistance.
Meanwhile, the town militia to the east were barely holding their own against the Cid himself. They were bitterly experiencing the valour and skill of his loyal retainers.
“Curses! Will that arrogant knight never cease to taunt me?” muttered Alfonso, “Jinetes, prove your worth with the sword as well as the javelin!” he shouted above the din of the battle.
The jinetes poured through the gates and soon restored order to shaken infantry. However, before long even their numbers were thinning rapidly. Seeing no other alternative, Alfonso threw himself into the fray.
The sight of their king immediately lifted the spirits of his men and they began to drive back some of the Valencian infantry, causing some of the javelinmen to rout.
As Alfonso glanced to his right, however, grim news awaited him. The town militia, even thought joined with a company of mailed knights could no longer stand the valour of the Cid's retainers and fled back through the eastern gates.
Seeing their fellows fleeing, the morale of the rest of the Spanish began to waver, and before long many had cast their arms aside and were fleeing.
Alfonso, seeing the hopelessness of the situation gave the order to withdraw before receiving a fatal blow to the neck.
Alfonso, the King of Spain, was dead. He had pitted his men against the Cid's and lost. This defeat, however, allowed a period of peace that was to benefit the Spanish realm.
The Lion and the Castle - a Spanish campaign AAR
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