Siege of Jaén | |||||||
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Part of the Reconquista | |||||||
The Castle of Jaén, captured in 1246 by Ferdinand III of Castile. |
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Belligerents | |||||||
Kingdom of Castile Order of Santiago |
Taifa of Jayyān (جيان) Emirate of Granada |
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Ferdinand III of Castile Pelayo Pérez Correa |
Mohammed I ibn Nasr | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown |
The Siege of Jaén was the final siege on the city during the Spanish Reconquista. The siege, was carried out from 1245 through 28 February 1246 by forces of the Kingdom of Castile and the Order of Santiago commanded by Ferdinand III of Castile and the Grand Master of the Order of Santiago, Pelayo Pérez Correa, against a combined defending force of the local Taifa of Jayyān (جيان) and the Emirate of Granada under Mohammed I ibn Nasr. The battle resulted in a Castilian victory with the city of Jaén being handed over to the Kingdom of Castile and Leon after the signing of the Treaty of Jaén.
After two previous attempts to capture Jaén, first in 1225 and another in 1230, Ferdinand III of Castile decided on another attempt to besiege the city having consolidated his power over the thrones of Castile and León and not having been decisively beaten in either of his previous attempts on the city. He was supported in this new campaign by Pelayo Pérez Correa, the Grand Master of the Order of Santiago. Throughout the winter of 1245, the forces of Castile launched raids on the areas surrounding the city in preparation for an eventual siege, capturing strategic points in the surrounding areas.
At the start of the siege, the Castilian forces began launching attacks on the various city gates, all of which were ineffective in terms of capturing any points on the main wall, however they did in many instances manage to drive the defenders off the bulwarks of the outer defenses.