Alfonso VIII Biography

Birth of Alfonso VIII, son of Sancho III & grandson of Alfonso VII

Succeeds to the throne of Leon & Castille, age 3

Succeeds as King of Castille, 1166-1214

Marries Eleanor the Younger of Aquitaine, daughter of Henry II of England

Receives Gascony as part of a wedding dowry from Eleanor the Younger of Aquitaine

Concludes the pact of Cazorla with Alfonso II of Aragon. Agrees on the division of lands recaptured from the Moors

Birth of Berengaria, daughter of Alfonso VIII of Castille & Eleanor

Endows the Abbey of Las Huelgas

Receives the homage of Alfonso IX of Leon

Castille is invaded by Leon & Navarre, defeats the invading forces

Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur lands at Tarifa, crooses the Sevilla province the main Almohad army reached Cordoba on June 30, reinforced by the few troops raised by the local governors and by a Christian cavalry contingent under Pedro Fernendez de Castro

The Almohad host came in view, Alfonso found himself outnumbered but rashly formed his army next day, offering battle, instead of retreating towards Talavera, which the Leonese troops had already reached

A Battle between an alliance of Almohads led by Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur and some Castilian cavalry led by Pedro Fernendez de Castro versus King Alfonso VIII King of Castille

Determined to bar the enemy access to the rich Tagus valley, and in his haste he did not wait for the reinforcements the King's Alfonso IX of Leon and Sancho of Navarra.

For the next two years, al-Mansurs forces devastated Extremadura, the Tagus valley, La Mancha and even the area around Toledo.

Suffers a heavy defeat. Fortunately for the Christians Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur moves back to Sevilla to make good his own considerable losses; there he takes the title of al-Mansur Billah (Made victorious by God).

Death of Eleanor the Younger of Aquitaine, loses Gascony to Henry II

Death of Eleanor the Younger of Aquitaine, loses Gascony to Henry II

Captures Central Spain

Moslem power in Spain collapses after defeat in battle under Caliph Mohammed. Defeats the Almohades, breaks their power in Spain

Death of Alfonso VIII