Bairén, Battle of
1097 CE
The Battle of Bairén is fought between the forces of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, also known as "El Cid", in coalition with Peter I of Aragon, against the forces of the Almoravid dynasty, under the command of Muhammad ibn Tasufin.
The battle is part of the long Reconquista of Spain, and results in a victory for the forces of the Kingdom of Aragon and the Kingdom of Valencia.
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Peter travels south in 1097 to inspect his fortress at Castellón, though the Historia Roderici claims that he came to help Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, called El Cid.
He meets Rodrigo in Valencia and with a large force already assembled they decide to reinforce the southern frontier fort of Benicadell, rebuilt by Rodrigo in 1091.
As they are passing by Játiva they are met by an Almoravid force under the command of Mohammed, the nephew of Almoravid leader Yusuf ibn Tashfin, and the commander whom Rodrigo had defeated at the Battle of Cuarte in 1095.
They decide to hastily restock Benicadell and retreat to Valencia via the coast, but are met at the Battle of Bairén by Muhammad's forces encamped on the high ground that reached almost to the sea.
A small Almoravid fleet had been assembled from the southern ports, including Almería, and the Christians are trapped between arrow fire from the ships and the cavalry perched atop the hill.
Rodrigo rouses the troops with a speech and the next day at midday the Christians charge.
The Battle of Játiva ends in a rout, with many Almoravids killed or forced into the river or the sea, where many drown.
Peter and Rodrigo return to Valencia in triumph and thanking God for the victory, as the Historia records.
The Cid had been married in July 1074 to kinswoman Jimena de Gormaz (spelled Ximena in Old Castilian), the daughter of the Count of Oviedo and a kinswoman of Alfonso VI.
This was probably on Alfonso's suggestion; a move that he probably hoped would improve relations between him and El Cid.
Together El Cid and Ximena have had three children.
Their daughters, Cristina and María, have both married high nobility; Cristina, to Ramiro, lord of Monzón and bastard descendant of kings of Navarre; María, first to Infante of Aragon and second to Ramón Berenguer III, count of Barcelona.
El Cid's son, Diego Rodríguez, is killed while fighting against the invading Almoravids at the Battle of Consuegra in 1097.
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, known as El Cid, had conquered the province of Valencia on June 17, 1094, then joined forces with Peter I of Aragon later that year in Burriana to cement an alliance with the end goal of doing battle with the Almoravids.
Under this agreement, El Cid departed in December of 1096 with the aid of Aragonese troops to bring weapons, ammunition and general supplies to the castle of Sierra de Benicadell.
The castle itself had been retaken by El Cid in October of 1091 to control access to Valencia from the south via the interior route.
Muhammad ibn Tasufin, commander of the Islamic forces, marched to intercept the combined Christian forces at Xàtiva.
Throughout January of 1097, from that position, he threatens and harasses the forces of El Cid and Peter I of Aragon, who manages nevertheless to reach the castle at Sierra de Benicadell and resupply it.
While El Cid and the king are marching north, they camp at Bairén, a place situated a few kilometers north of Gandía.
The Almoravids manage to take the nearby high ground at Mondúver (at eight hundred and foirty-one meters above sea level), from where they were able to harass the Christian camp.
In addition, General Muhammad has managed to bring a fleet of ships, both Almoravid and Andalusian, onto the nearby seashore from which archers and crossbowmen are able to catch the Christian forces in a crossfire.
The situation appears desperate, but El Cid harangues his troops one morning, ordering them to conduct a frontal charge and assault on the Almoravid forces, breaking their center.
By midday, the attack is in full swing.
The Almoravids, taken aback by the courage and desperate nature of the attack, break and flee the field in disarray.
The chaotic nature of the Muslim retreat leads many Almoravid soldiers to drown in the river that crosses their path of retreat or in the sea as they try to reach the safety of the Almoravid armada.
The Christian army is able to come away from the battle with a great deal of victory spoils after looting the Almoravid camp.
After the battle, they are able to continue, in safety, to the city of Valencia.