Battle of San Esteban de Gormaz (917)


The Battle of San Esteban de Gormaz was a battle of the Spanish Reconquista which occurred in the year 917. The battle pitted the Umayyad forces of the Emirate of Cordoba under Abi-Abda against the troops of the Kingdom of Leon under Ordoño II of León. The battle resulted in a Leonese victory.

Context

In 912, Ordoño II ordered the repoblación of San Esteban de Gormaz as the city had been one of the borderline cities in between the Moorish and Christian zones of the Iberian Peninsula. This region had become depopulated early in the Muslim takeover and acted as a buffer zone between the two groups.

The battle

Upon hearing of Ordoño II's efforts to repopulate and take control of the city, Abi-Abda ordered a siege of the city in 917. Ordoño II was able to successfully come to the city's aid and routed the Muslim forces. Abi-Abda himself was captured during the fray and executed by decapitation. His head was put on display on the city's ramparts as a warning to the Muslims.

Aftermath

A similar battle would take place in 919 where the Muslims were repulsed, however by 920 the city was again in Muslim hands. The city would change hands multiple times until 1054 when the town was permanently retaken by the Christian forces under the command of Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, also known as el Cid.