Battle of Los Alporchones
- When
- 1448–1452
- Where
- Region of Murcia; Los Alporchones
- Episodes
- 2
On 17 March 1452, the Emirate of Granada clashed with Castilian and Murcian forces at Los Alporchones near Lorca. The engagement followed years of Granadan raids into Murcia, including the sack of Cieza in 1448 and a 1451 incursion. Malik ibn al-Abbas commanded the Moorish troops, while Alonso Fajardo el Bravo led the Christian defenders.
Episodes
- Granadan Raids
Muslim forces captured Cieza in 1448 and defeated Christians at Hellín. John II sought a truce in 1450, but a 1451 incursion brought further plunder.
- Battle of Los Alporchones
On 17 March 1452, the Moorish army arrived at Los Alporchones and fought an action against Castilian and Murcian forces.
Background and detail
Background. Following his return to the throne in 1447, Muhammed IX pursued aggressive policies against Castile. Muslim forces captured Cieza in 1448 and defeated Christians at Hellín. These incursions forced John II of Castile to seek a truce in 1450 to address internal conflicts, though Granadan raids continued, including a successful plundering expedition in 1451.
The Engagement. The battle occurred on 17 March 1452, when the Moorish army arrived at Los Alporchones. The combatants were the Emirate of Granada and the combined forces of the Kingdom of Castile and its client kingdom, Murcia. The Moorish side was led by Malik ibn al-Abbas, while Alonso Fajardo el Bravo, head of the House of Fajardo and Alcalde of Lorca Castle, commanded the Christian troops.
Outcome and Legacy. The battle date, 17 March, coincides with the feast day of St Patrick. In homage to this saint, who shares the same commemorative date as the battle, he was named the patron saint of the city of Murcia. A church was built in Lorca which would later house the Colegiata de San Patricio.
People involved
- Malik ibn al-Abbas · Commander of the Moorish army
- Alonso Fajardo el Bravo · Commander of Castilian troops, Head of House of Fajardo, Alcalde of Lorca Castle
- Muhammed IX · Sultan of Granada
- John II of Castile · Castilian monarch
Sources
- Battle of Los Alporchones Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-21
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.