Yahya ibn Ismail ibn Yahya, known by the regnal name al-Qadir bi-llah (died 28 October 1092) was the Dhulnunid ruler of the Taifa of Toledo in Spain between 1075 until the fall of Toledo in 1085 and of the Taifa of Valencia from 1086 until his death. [1]
Al-Qadir succeeded his grandfather al-Mamun as the ruler of Toledo when al-Mamum was assassinated in 1075. In late 1078/early 1079, Toledo revolted against al-Qadir and he fled to Cuenca in the east to seek the support and assistance of Alfonso VI, King of León and Castile. The rebels who took Toledo recognized al-Mutawakkil, King of the Taifa of Badajoz as the new ruler of Toledo and allowed him to bring his forces into the city. In April 1079, Alfonso VI moved to reinstate al-Qadir by blocking entry and egress to Toledo and besieging the city of Coria approximately 210 kilometers to the west in a position threatening the Taifa of Badajoz. After approximately five months, Coria surrendered and the forces of Alfonso VI were posed to invade the territories of Badajoz. Faced with the invasion of his kingdom, al-Mutawakkil withdrew from Toledo and al-Qadir was reinstated. [2]
For Alfonso VI's assistance, al-Qadir signed the Pact of Cuenca which allowed Alfonso VI to permanently create military garrisons in the Taifa of Toledo. Alfonso chose two strategic locations; one at Zorita, approximately 110 kilometers to the northeast of Toledo toward the Taifa of Zaragoza; and a second at Cantuarias, approximately 70 kilometers west of Toledo toward the Taifa of Badajoz. These two garrisons allowed Alfonso VI to protect al-Qadir and the Taifa of Toledo from potential attacks from both the east and the west. As such, Alfonso VI took responsibility for protecting and maintaining the integrity of the Taifa of Toledo. [3]
During the following years, Al-Qadir's subjects came to resent the Christian garrisons in their kingdom, the costs of maintaining those military outposts, and the payment of tribute to Alfonso VI. In May 1082, the citizens of Toledo revolted a second time against al-Qadir. Although al-Qadir was able to defeat the rebels at that time without the assistance of Alfonso VI, he remained unpopular among his people and continued to struggle to hold on to power. As for Alfonso VI, he came to realize during this time that the continuing cost to protect al-Qadir was too high and that a better approach to secure the kingdom's wealth, strategic location, and symbolic importance would be to take the city directly. Although al-Qadir was willing to yield, simply handing over the city would be unacceptable to the entire populace. [3]
On 25 May 1085, Alfonso VI entered the city of Toledo. [4]
Al-Qadir also had designs on the Taifa of Valencia, although he had to counter the ambitions of the ruler of the Taifa of Zaragoza, Yusuf al-Mu'taman ibn Hud. Once again Alfonso VI sent troops, under the command of Álvar Fáñez to support him.
In return, in 1086 Alfonso VI required his vassal to confront the Almoravids at the battle of Sagrajas. [5] In 1092, a popular revolt instigated by the qadi Ibn Yahhaf with the support of a pro-Almoravid faction in the city deposed al-Qadir and executed him on 28 October of that year. [1] [6]