The siege of the city, which had maintained a key strategic importance far away from the Middle Ages for the different powers of the zone,[4] consisted of a combined attack of land and naval forces.
[5] The naval contingent, led by the Genoese admiral Benedetto I Zaccaria, was composed of a fleet of Genoese, Castilian and Aragonese ships (the latter sub-commanded by Berenguer de Montoliú).
[6] Sancho IV of Castile also provided logistical assistance from the Emirate of Granada.
[7] The land siege started in July 1292, after the arrival of Sancho IV.
[9] According to Miguel Ángel Ladero Quesada [es], the conquest of the city was the most decisive Christian advance in two centuries of conflict in the area of the Strait of Gibraltar.