The Castilian king, Alfonso VII, spent the first years of his reign establishing public order after civil wars and restoring towns conquored by the Aragonese.

In 1131, Zafadola, the son of the last ruler of Banu Hud of Zaragoza, was given estates in Toledo and Extremadura, becoming his vassal and loyal to the king.

They destroyed villages and mosques, burning down trees, and taking large numbers of captives and cattle.

However, when they reached there, a sudden flooding in the river cut off the party due to a hevy storm, rendering it blocked.

The commanders of the main army were in no position to save them but to give them their last advice: to confess their sins to each other.