Siege of Oreja The Siege of Oreja by the forces of Alfonso VII , Emperor of Spain , lasted from April to October 1139 , when the Almoravid garrison surrendered . It was the first major victory of the renewed " Reconquista " that characterised the last two decades of Alfonso ' s reign . Principal sources . The main source for the siege of Oreja is the contemporary " Chronica Adefonsi imperatoris " , a narrative of Alfonso ' s reign in two books . According to this source , at the time it was " the largest campaign that had been conducted in the combined regions of Toledo and Extremadura . " Historian Bernard Reilly has succinctly explained the " virtues and vices " of the " Chronica " as a reliable historical account : " . . . the second book of the [ " Chronica " ] is made up largely of a series of popular tales originally composed separately and only subsequently tacked together in a literary , Latin text appended to the more traditional and staid annals that form most of its first book . The compiler has often scarcely bothered to reconcile his materials , much less treat them critically . " Nineteen royal charters were issued from Alfonso ' s camp during the siege ( nos . 334 – 52 ) , and another two ( nos . 353 – 54 ) are important for its dating . The dating and chronology of the siege can be most reliably established from an examination of the documents . Background . The town of Oreja ( " Aurelia " ) , with its castle , lay on the Tagus about upstream from Toledo . It was of strategic importance for the defence of Toledo . It is today represented by Colmenar de Oreja , then the small settlement of " Apis Aureliae " . In 1113 , at the height of the civil war between Queen Urraca , the supporters of her son , the future Alfonso VII , and the supporters of her husband , Alfonso the Battler , while it was being guarded by the duke of nearby Toledo , Álvar Fáñez , Oreja fell to the Muslims . According to the " Chronica " : The King of Sevilla and the King of Córdoba and all the other Almoravide rulers in the south had gathered a large army of cavalry , infantry and archers . They proceeded to the territory of Toledo and began to attack the castle at Oreja . They massacred the Christians there and took many prisoners . . . [ The soldiers ] in Oreja were [ daily moving on the offensive ] against Toledo and against other cities in the Trans - Sierra region . They committed many massacres and carried away a great deal of booty . By March 1115 it was either back in Christian hands or its Christian population in exile at Toledo had its own " alcalde " , a certain Genesio recorded in a private charter at that time . In 1131 there was another Christian – Muslim skirmish — " a fierce battle " , the " Chronica " calls it — near Oreja that resulted in Muslim victory . The anonymous author of the " Chronica " notes that the Muslims stationed at Oreja were a constant menace to the Christians of the " alfoz " ( region ) around Toledo . When Alfonso VII " realized that the Lord had given him somewhat of a respite from his enemies " early in 1139 , " he took counsel with his advisors " and decided to besiege Oreja in April . The commander of the Muslim garrison was Ali , a " famous infidel chieftain [ and ] notorious murderer of Christians " in the Trans - Sierra . According to the " Chronica " the defenders included a large number of archers and cavalry , with a somewhat more modest infantry contingent , and consisted in both native Muslims and Almoravid Berbers from northern Africa . The castle was well - prepared for an assault , and boasted catapult s " for hurling large stones " . Siege . Initiation . The siege was begun in April by the brothers Gutierre and Rodrigo Fernández , both governors on the frontier , at the orders of Alfonso , each with their own " mesnadas " ( knightly retinues ) and with the militias ( cavalry and infantry ) of Toledo and the other cities of the Trans - Sierra and the Extremadura . The towns of Ávila , Guadalajara , Madrid , Salamanca , Segovia , Talavera , and Zamora are known to have had especially active militias on the southern frontier in the period . Probably at least the municipalities of Ávila , Salamanca , and Segovia participated . While the Fernández brothers began the siege , Alfonso gathered " all of the military personnel from Galicia , León and Castile " , in the words of the " Chronica " , at a place unnamed , and departed for Oreja with a large number of infantry troops . When the royal army arrived is unknown , and the first evidence of the king ' s presence is in a charter he issued from the siege on 25 July . This charter shows that a large contingent of magnates from Galicia had joined Alfonso at the siege , including Fernando Yáñez and his son Pelayo Curvo , Rodrigo Vélaz , and , according to documents in the archives of Santa María de Oseira , four of the sons of Pedro Fróilaz de Traba : Fernando Pérez , García Pérez , Rodrigo Pérez , and Vermudo Pérez . Royal charters issued from the siege during the remainder of the summer show that all of these Galicians left Oreja not long after , possibly to defend the frontier with Portugal , but more likely because they resented long campaigns so far from home . Magnates from the more central provinces , like Gutierre and Rodrigo Fernández , Ramiro Fróilaz , and Rodrigo Gómez , remained at the siege probably until the end . The regular courtiers were also present throughout the campaign , including Ponce de Cabrera , a mainstay of Alfonso ' s reconquest expeditions . There were seven bishops present . Lope López may also have been present . The " Chronica " records that Alfonso also brought with him siege engineers and built several siege engine s ( probably including at least siege tower s " placed against the walls " ) for investing the castle . To cut off the defenders ' water supplies he stationed guards along the riverbank and had a mantlet placed at a location where they had theretofore drawn water in secret . One day the Muslims sallied forth and set the mantlet , left unguarded , on fire , destroying it . Thereafter , however , an order prevented anybody inside the castle from leaving . The internal water reserves ( " the cisterns " ) had been exhausted , and the effects of hunger began to set in : " many of them died for lack of food and water " . It is not clear when during the siege this happened , since the " Chronica " does not provide a clear chronology of those seven months . Surrender . The towers of the castle were destroyed by the siege engines and this , the " Chronica " indicates , convinced Ali to seek terms after " consulting with his advisors " . It further records the following messages between the two leaders , by which the terms of the surrender were established : " Ali " : " Let us come to terms by means of a peace treaty . Grant us a period of one month , so that we may again send a messenger across the Mediterranean Sea to King Texufin and to all the Spanish Moslems also on this side of the sea . If no one will come to our aid , we will march out and return your castle to you . You will then allow us to go peacefully , taking all of our belongings to our city of Calatrava . " " Alfonso " : " I will make the following agreement with you : give me fifteen of your nobles as hostages excepting Ali . If no one will come to your defense , you will return my castle to me . Your catapults and all of your weapons and riches will remain in the castle . You will be allow to take only your personal possessions with you . The Christian captives in your dungeons will remain in the castle to be fed by my men at my own expense . " These terms were accepted . The Muslim hostages were sent to Toledo under guard , and both leaders " pledged under oath [ to ] fulfill every item in the treaty as stated " . The defenders went messengers , but they returned with no hope of a timely rescue . The castle surrendered early on the morning of 31 October according to the " Chronica " . The last royal charter issued before the walls of Oreja is dated 18 October . A charter issued by the king ' s sister , Sancha Raimúndez , at Sahagún on 27 October 1139 is dated to " the year and month in which Oreja was captured " . Considering the time it would have taken for news of the capture to reach Sahagún , Oreja probably surrender closer to 20 October . There is also a royal charter that was issued at Toledo and dated 26 October , presumably only a day or so after the king ' s returning triumph . After the surrender Alfonso ' s banners were raised from the highest tower , accompanied by the twin shouts of acclamation of those holding the banners ( " Long live Alfonso , the Emperor of León and of Toledo ! " ) and the assembled clergy with hands raised ( " We praise you Lord , we acknowledge your glory " ) , which included some ( unnamed ) bishops . The surrendering Muslims first went to Alfonso ' s camp , where they remained several days as honoured guests and received back their hostages . They were then allowed to go with their families and their movable personal property under military escort , led by Rodrigo Gómez , to Calatrava . This act of general mercy outraged the local residents from around Toledo , who wanted them killed . One recent historian identifies the " Count Rodrigo " the " Chronica " relates as escorting the defeated with Rodrigo Fernández instead of Rodrigo Gómez . Returning triumph . The " Chronica " provides a description of the triumph which Alfonso received upon his arrival in Toledo after the siege . It is not an historical description , but an extended allusion to passages in the " Book of Daniel " ( 3 : 7 ) and the " Gospel According to Matthew " ( 21 : 9 ) : When his coming was announced , all of the leaders of the Christians , Moors and Jews and all the commoners of the city went out to meet him with tambourines , lutes , psalteries and many other musical instruments . In his own tongue each one of them praised and glorified God who had aided all of the enterprises of the Emperor . They were saying , " Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord , and blessed are you and your wife and your children and the kingdom of your fathers , and blessed is your compassion and forbearance . " Inside the city , Raimundo , the Archbishop of Toledo , led a long procession of clerics and monks into the plaza of the city and welcomed the Emperor . They went to the Church of Saint Mary during which time the archbishop was singing , " Fear God obey his commandments . " " Fuero " . Alfonso re - fortified the castle , leaving a garrison composed of knights and infantry , and supplied with several siege engines for defensive purposes . He also replenished the internal water supply and added food provisions . Alfonso also organised the resettlement of the town with a " fuero " ( collection of privileges ) in November . The new settlers were required to remit to the king a fifth of any booty they might take at the enemy ' s expense . The settlers could not be traitors nor any " count or other power who possessed royal fiefs " , but those who were in disgrace or had gained the king ' s anger could take refuge in Oreja . The town , like Ocaña , was also granted the " abduction privilege " . According to this custom , a man who had abducted a woman could take refuge in the town , the king levying a fine of five hundred " sueldo s " on anybody who injured or killed him . This policy was designed to encourage settlement by providing a means for settlers to procure wives . Alfonso had first granted this privilege to Guadalajara in 1133 , but in the case of Oreja it was severely restricted : the abductee could not be already married , related to the abductor , or abducted by force ; she had to come voluntarily and of marriageable age . The law was designed to prevent families from repatriating eloped female relatives , and to prevent cuckolds from taking back their adulterous wives . The " fuero " of Oreja , like that of Escalona , also protected new settlers ' properties in their places of origin . They were exempted from service for these , and also extended royal protection . It was typically required of settlers in New Castile to stay in their new possessions for at least one year , and such was the case in Alfonso ' s " fuero " for Oreja . Afterwards settlers often sold off their new land . Alfonso also exempted Oreja from having to pay the " portaticum " or " portazgo " , the usual toll on transporting goods along a certain road or through a certain territory , throughout his kingdoms except in the region of Toledo . Further , if any person in the kingdom wished to take legal action against an inhabitant of Oreja he had to go to a place on the bank of the Tagus beneath the walls of the castle of Oreja and seek judgement there . This law , too , was not unusual for re - settlements , although again persons from Toledo were excepted . The " fuero " of Oreja has been edited and published at least twice :