Portugal

Abstract

The Christian kingdom of Afonso VI was based on a defensive system in which the key strongholds were: Santarém, Coria, Toledo, Valencia and Aledo. Except for Toledo, all the other cities fell into the hands of the Almoravids. Clearly, Leon's war effort in the Iberian central zone could not hold back Islam. The military situation in the West of the Peninsula, an area controlled by count Raymond of Burgundy, was not favourable, either.