Castile–Portugal War (1340–1341)

Timeline

1. 1340Seville–Tarifa line · al-AndalusAfter the 1339 Treaty of Seville, Marinid sultan Abu al-Hasan crossed the sea to invade in spring 1340, heavily damaging the Castilian fleet in the Strait of Gibraltar. Alfonso XI called on Portugal for aid as agreed, and Alfonso IV, mediated by his daughter Maria, agreed to send troops; the two kingdoms assembled at Seville and marched on besieged Tarifa, the Christian and Marinid–Granadan armies facing off across the Salado River.
2. 1340Salado River (near Tarifa) · CádizOn October 30, Alfonso XI led the Castilian main force across the river to attack the Marinid center, while Alfonso IV led the Portuguese and reinforcements against Granada's flank. The Tarifa garrison sortied simultaneously to cut off the Muslim retreat; Abu al-Hasan was badly defeated and fled to North Africa, while Yusuf I also withdrew to Granada. The battle is regarded as one of the most decisive victories of the later Reconquista, and was also proclaimed a crusader victory by the papacy.
3. 1341Southern Iberian Peninsula · al-AndalusAfter the Salado victory, Alfonso IV returned to Portugal in early 1341, while Castile consolidated control of the Strait of Gibraltar and prepared the siege of Algeciras. Though Castile and Portugal still had friction over spoils and border rights, the two maintained military cooperation in 1341 against Granada and residual Marinid forces, creating conditions for the 1342–44 siege of Algeciras.