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Battle of Río Verde (1448)
Part of the Spanish Reconquista
Río Verde
Date 17 March 1448 Location Río Verde, near Marbella Result Granadan victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Castile	Emirate of Granada
Commanders and leaders
Juan de Saavedra (POW)	Ibrāhīm bin Abd al-Barr Abū l-Qāsim b. al-Sarrāŷ
Strength
400-600 cavalry	1,500 cavalry
Casualties and losses
All but 4 killed	Unknown

The battle of Río Verde was a military engagement between the Granadans and the Castilians at the Río Verde near Marbella. The Granadans achieved a resounding victory.

Background

In 1447, taking advantage of Castile political turmoil, the Granadan Sultan, Yusuf V, attacked Castile and restored the lost castles from Castile, including Arenas, Huéscar, Vélez-Blanco, Vélez-Rubio, Benamaurel, and Benzalema. In August of the same year, Yusuf was assassinated, and in September, Muhammad IX took control of Granada. War with Castile continued.

Battle

On March 15, 1448, a Castilian force of 400 or 600 cavalry, attacked the Granadan territory and steel cattle. The Castilians were led by Juan de Saavedra. Two days later, the Castilians advanced through the area of Estepona, towards Marbella, up to Río Verde. Upon retreating, the Castilians were attacked by a force of Granadans consisting of 1,500 cavalry. The Granadans were led by Viziers Ibrāhīm bin Abd al-Barr and Abū l-Qāsim b. al-Sarrāŷ. The Granadans massacred the majority of the force and took Juan as a captive. It is said that only 4 managed to escape the massacre. The Romance "Rio Verde" describes the battle:.

Green River, Green River!__In you are washed so many bodies__Of Christians and Moors__Killed by the harsh sword!__Making your crystalline waves__Shine with red blood.

Aftermath

The ransom amount was estimated at the fabulous twelve thousand doubloons. Saavedra had to leave two of his daughters as hostages and resort to the help of the King and the Seville council. The impact of this defeat was such that, in addition to inspiring the well-known ballad “Green River, Green River," it forced the Castilian King to propose a truce to the Andalusian emir the following month, which he again rejected. The agreement that al-Aysar did sign was a general suspension of hostilities with Aragon and Navarre on 25 December 1448.

References

1. Joseph F. O'Callaghan, p. 88
2. Aires A. Nascimento & Cristina Almeda Ribero, p. 163
3. Giuseppe Di Stefano, p. 299
4. Aires A. Nascimento & Cristina Almeda Ribero, p. 163
5. Muhammad IX, Real Academia de la Historia
6. Juan Arias de Saavedra
7. Aires A. Nascimento & Cristina Almeda Ribero, p. 163
8. Joseph F. O'Callaghan, p. 88-89
9. Juan Arias de Saavedra
10. Muhammad IX, Real Academia de la Historia

Sources

• Joseph F. O'Callaghan (2014), The Last Crusade in the West, Castile and the Conquest of Granada.

• Giuseppe Di Stefano (1993), Romancero.

• Aires A. Nascimento & Cristina Almeda Ribero (1991), El Romance Rio Verde: sus Problemas Historíeos y Literarios.

• 15th century in al-Andalus
• Battles of the Reconquista
• Battles involving the Emirate of Granada
• Battles involving Castile
• 15th century in Castile