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FritzVicari — Twilight of the Moors, Battle of Jerez, 1231 AD by-nc-sa

Published: 2012-11-06 11:27:51 +0000 UTC; Views: 3996; Favourites: 21; Downloads: 35
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Description ENGLISH:

After the crushing defeat suffered at Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212, the battle of Jerez was a coup-de-gras for the Almohads in Iberia. Ibn Hud, emir of Andalusia, moved from the frontier he was defending to stop a castillan cavalgada or chevauceè, raiding deep into Andalusia. Near Jerez, the two armies clashed and the Moors suffered an heavy defeat. It is said that 500 of them, taken prisoners, were executed. This battle opened a crysis for the emir which resulted in the creation of a new emirate, the Emirate of Granada of the Nasirid Dinasy in 1238, the last muslim fortress in Iberia, which lasted until 1492.

In the drawing, a mounted scout, armed with crossbow, reports to Ibn Hud. Such light cavalry and infantry units were the bulk of the andalusian armies, altough heavy infantry and cavalry were also present, as shown in 1282's manuscript Las Cantigas de Santa Maria. A strong western influence was present, even if, personally, I'm not sure if it just a simplified vision from a christian amanuens. As you may guess, the illustrations of Las Cantigas de Santa Maria are the main source for the drawing, in clothing as well as in heraldry.

ITALIANO:

Dopo la sconfitta di Las Navas de Tolosa del 1212, la battaglia di Jerez fu il colpo di grazia per gli almoavidi in Iberia. Ibn Hud, emir della taifa andalusa, si mosse dalla frontiera per bloccare una cavalcata castigliana che stava portando distruzione in profondità nell'emirato. I due eserciti si scontrarono vicino a Jerez e i mori subirono una sconfitta devastante, dopo la quale i cristiani uccisero 500 prigionieri. La battaglia aprì una crisi che terminò con la fondazione, nel 1238, dell'emirato di Granada della dinastia Nasiride, ultima fortezza musulmana di Spagna, destinata a non cadere se non nel 1492.

Nel disegno, un esploratore a cavallo, armato di balestra, fa rapporto all'emiro. Cavalleria e fanteria equipaggiate così alla leggera erano il fulcro delle armate andaluse, sebbene, come dimostrato dalle illustrazione del manoscritto Las Cantigas de Santa Maria del 1282, non mancassero fanti e cavalieri pesantemente armati. C'era una forte influenza occidentale nell'equipaggiamento dei Mori di Spagna, ma questa convinzione potrebbe essere stata viziata da una visione semplificata degli illustratori cristiani delle Cantingas, le illustrazioni dei quali rimangono comunque la fronte principale sia per i costumi che per le bandiere qui rappresentati.
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Comments: 7

Shabazik [2016-08-02 13:17:23 +0000 UTC]

I really like the composition of the drawing and equipment!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

FritzVicari In reply to Shabazik [2016-08-07 20:18:45 +0000 UTC]

Thank you! Check out Las Cantigas de Santa Maria to better check my source for the equipment, you'll surely won't be disappointed.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Roger-Raven [2014-01-08 22:23:16 +0000 UTC]

Didn't know the battle. Interesting work with the equipment and weapons. But proportions man/horse looks a little odd.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

FritzVicari In reply to Roger-Raven [2014-01-08 22:59:16 +0000 UTC]

On my behalf, I can say that horses were probably a lot smaller back then, anyway, even if it depended on the sex, the food and the race, and maybe they were not so small in the andalusian region. In "Las Cantigas" horses are as small as these. McBride, which is an historical illustrator I admire a lot, used to draw medieval horses pretty small, too. 

To be honest, I think that, yes, you're probably right on proportions, I was even less pratical than now on horses.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Hashashin619 [2013-08-11 17:46:46 +0000 UTC]

nice work, and very informative.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

kuauik [2012-11-07 21:16:22 +0000 UTC]

beatifull,all of your pictures

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

FritzVicari In reply to kuauik [2012-11-07 22:48:14 +0000 UTC]

Hey there, kuauik! Thank you very much

👍: 0 ⏩: 0