The armament of the Almoravid army

Abstract

El estado almorávide se sustentaba en elementos bélicos y militares. El ejército era la base fundamental de su existencia. Yusuf Ibn Tašufin, el fundador del gran estado almorávide, procuró organizar el ejército almorávide y proveerlo del equipamiento y el armamento necesario, hasta que se convirtió en uno de los ejércitos más poderosso del momento, al sustituir el armamento sencillo propio de los combates de la vida beduina por un tipo de armamento que le permitió superar a sus enemigos en el Magreb, al-Andalus y los reinos cristianos. Este tipo de armamento incluía armas ligeras, pesadas, económicas, personales y defensivas (fortificaciones). El presente estudio detalla algunas de esas armas, incluyendo armamento de tipo químico, que se utilizaba dependiendo del tipo de combate o batalla al que se enfrentaban.The Almoravid state was based on war and military elements. In fact, the army was considered a crucial element. Yusuf Ibn Tashufin, the founder of the great Almoravid state, sought to organize the Almoravid army and provide the necessary equipment and weapons so it became one of the most powerful armies of the time, by menas of replacing the simple type of weapons used in Bedouin life style by new types of weapons that allowed them to overcome their enemies in the Maghrib, Al-andalus and the Christian kingdoms. These weapons include light, heavy, economic, personal and defensive weapons (fortifications). This paper provide further details about some of these weapons, including weapons of chemical nautre, which were used in some batles they faced