n Yussef, from his victories afterward named Almansor, who was
then in Spain, was immediately declared successor to his father. For
some years he was not personally opposed to the Christians, though his
walis carried on a desultory indecisive war; he was long detained in
Africa, first in quelling some domestic commotions, and afterward by
severe illness. He was scarcely recovered, when the intelligence that
the Christians were making insulting irruptions to the very outworks of
Algeziras made him resolve on punishing their audacity. His preparations
were of the most formidable description. In A.H. 591 he landed in
Andalusia, and proceeded toward Valencia, where the Christian army then
lay. There Alfonso VIII, King of Castile, was awaiting the expected
reinforcements from his allies, the kings of Leon and Navarre. Both
armies pitched their tents on the plains of Alarcon. The following day
the Christians commenced the attack, and with so much impetuosity that
the centre was soon broken. But an Andalusian chief conducted a strong
body of his men against Alfonso, who with the reserve occupied the hill
above the plain. While the struggle was in all its fury, Yacub and his
division took the Christians in flank. The result was fatal to the
Castilian army, which, discouraged at what it considered a new enemy,
gave way in every direction. Alfonso, preferring an honorable death to
the shame of defeat, prepared to plunge into the heart of the Mahometan
squadrons, when his nobles surrounded him and forced him from the field.
His loss must have been immense, amounting probably to twenty thousand
men. With a generosity very rare in a Mahometan, and still more in an
African, Yacub restored his prisoners to liberty--an action for which,
we are informed, he received few thanks from his followers. Alfonso
retreated to Toledo just as the King of Leon arrived with the promised
reinforcement.

After this signal victory Yacub rapidly reduced Calatrava, Guadalaxara,
Madrid and Esalona, Salamanca, etc. Toledo, too, he invested, but in
vain. He returned to Africa, caused his son Mahomet to be declared _wali
alhadi_, and died, the 22d day of the moon Regeb, A.H. 595.[34] He left
behind him the character of an able, a valiant, a liberal, a just, and
even magnanimous prince--of one who labored more for the real welfare of
his people than any other potentate of his age. He was, beyond doubt,
the greatest and best of the Almohades.

[Footnote 34: M