Al-Azraq (Real Name:Abú Abd Allah Muhammad ben Hudayl
Al-Azraq, was born around 1216 in the castle at Alcalá (Alcalá de la Jovada).
His father was African and his mother was from Granada. His father was a feudal
lord of lands which stretched from from Xativa and Gandia in the north as far
as the Marina Baixa in the south, and from the valley of Vinalopó in
the west as far as the coast in the east; and Al-Araq inherited this territory.
At this time, Jaime I of Aragon was on his drive south to oust the Moors. He conquered Valencia in 1238 and reached Alzira in 1244, and Denia later in the same year. But the territory of the Arab family was such that it was difficult to attack, so Jaime sent his son Alfonso to make a pact with Al-Azraq, and the treaty of Pouet was signed in 1245. By this means, the Arab family was able to maintain sovereignty of their own territory and for Jaime it was a breathing space which enabled him to get on with his battles further south.
At this time, Al-Azraq was described as elegant, refined, brave, intelligent and wise (presumably by his mother!!)
Al-Azraq got over-confident, and in 1247 he broke the pact and started to fight with the Aragonese. He managed to hold off Jaime for 10 years but eventually capitulated in 1258 at the village of Benissili in the Val de Gallinera. He fled and holed up in Al-Andalus, but in 1276 he returned to lead a rebellion encouraged by the invasion of African troops into Al-Andalus.
He lost his life in Alcoi when the opposition called for help of their Saint, San Jorge (St George, of Dragon fame, who presumably came to the aid of the Aragonese) and thus ended the only hope of stopping the expansion of the crown of Aragon.
His tenacious resistance (or rather his defeat by Saint George), is still celebrated in the town of Alcoi every year on April 23rd (St George's Day of course) with their traditional fiesta of Moors and Christians.
Loosely translated by Joan Franklin from a history book
found in Denia Library...forgot its name..!
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