Holy War and Crusade during the Reign of Alfonso VIII

This chapter analyzes the crusading dimension of Alfonso VIII's reign and contextualizes it within the framework of relations with the whole of Christendom. Never before had a Spanish king demonstrated such a clear crusading policy as that of Alfonso VIII. The crusade sealed connections and established commitments that would turn the kingdom of Castile into a model frontier region for the rest of Christendom. The chapter then considers three significant periods during Alfonso VIII's reign, divided by three events marking the confrontation with Islam: the conquest of Cuenca in 1177, the defeat at Alarcos in 1195, and the victory of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212. The victory of Las Navas represented the triumph of the papal idea of crusade, which had been fully integrated into the political discourse of the Castilian monarchy.