The taifa of Badajoz rose, like the other
taifa kingdoms of the
Iberian Peninsula, after the fragmentation of
al-Andalus (the
Caliphate of Cordoba) in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. It was created by
Sabur al-Saqlabi, a former slave of
perhaps Slavic or
Persian origin. The taifa's control extended over most of ancient
Lusitania, including
Mérida and
Lisbon. Sabur was succeeded in 1022 by his
vizier,
Abdallah ibn al-Aftas, who founded the
Aftasid dynasty. Sabur's sons fled to Lisbon, where they created the short-lived
taifa of Lisbon, which was soon reconquered by Badajoz. In 1055 Badajoz became a tributary of the
Kingdom of León-Castile, losing significant parts of its territory south of the Mondego River (south of
Coimbra). The
Abbadids of Seville also conquered parts of their territory. After the death of Abdallah's son, Abu Bakr, a civil war broke out between the latter's sons, Yahya and Abu, the former being victorious. His troops fought alongside the
Almoravid dynasty against the Christian army in the
Battle of Sagrajas (1086), which occurred not far from Badajoz. However, after the Almoravid victory, Yahya, who feared their increasing power, allied with
Alfonso VI of Castile. In 1094 the Almoravids occupied Badajoz and Yahya was killed together with two of his sons. A surviving son fled first to
Montánchez and then to Alfonso's court. After the taifa's original territory had been controlled by various kingdoms (Almoravids,
Almohads,
Portugal) in succession, a second independent taifa was briefly recreated in Badajoz, existing from 1144 to 1150, when it fell again under Almohad dominion. ==Emirs of Badajoz==