It’s a strange coincidence that the 1195 Battle of Alarcos and the 1212 Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa wound up so close together on the calendar. I mean, it’s not that strange a coincidence, since there were only so many months out of the year when you could go on campaign back in the 12th and 13th centuries. But these two battles bookend the high water mark for the Almohad Caliphate in Iberia, so the fact that their anniversaries are only two days apart is notable. It’s helpful, too, because you already know how this story ends.
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The Foreign Exchanges Companion 