Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/654

Rh the continual pillages of these knightly warriors, Emir Jacub ben Yuseff crossed the strait with an African army, and met the Castilians near Fort Alarcos. Alphonso IX. would have acted wisely had he delayed the battle until the arrival of the troops from Leon and Navarre, which kingdoms had likewise armed themselves against the common enemy,' but, in his eagerness to obtain the glory of victory for himself, he hastened to the field, and was completely routed. Nearly all the Knights who were present, and the best soldiers of Alphonso fell in the battle, and Calatrava was soon after occupied by the Moors. The Knights then transferred their seat to the Castle of Salvatierra, and under that name they passed for a long time afterwards.

The peace of twelve years, which was concluded after this fatal battle, terminated in 1208, when the Christians again began to prepare for a renewal of the national war. The Knights of Calatrava opened the campaign by the invasion of the kingdom of Valencia; and the victory they gained over the enemy on the 16th July, 1212, near Las Navas de Tolosa, fearfully avenged the defeat of Alarcos. According to the account of Archbishop Rodriguez, the Moors lost thirty-five thousand horse, and one hundred and _ seventy thousand foot soldiers, while the loss of the Spaniards barely amounted to one hundred and thirty-five men. During two resting days which followed the battle, the conquerors are said to have maintained the bivouac fires, with the lances and arrows left on the battle field by the enemy. The Knights again returned to Calatrava, which had been reconquered already in 1210, whence they soon, however, transferred their seat to the new town of the same name. Despite the vast conquests made by the Knights, the Order was never in possession of the great wealth and riches, for which the Knights of St. James of Compostella were so famous. Its