widow of Abu Nasir al Fatah al Ma'Mun, Emir of Córdoba
The Chronicon Regum Legionensium names "Zaida, the daughter of King Abenabeth of Seville, who was baptised…Elisabeth" as the second of two concubines of King Alfonso, and their son "Sancho who died at the battle of Ucles". The Chronicon de Cardeña records that King Alfonso married “Mora, que decien la Cayda, sobrina de Abenafanle” who was mother of his son Sancho. Her first marriage is confirmed by the Bayan al Mugrib of Ibn Idari which names "le fils d´Alphonse, Sancho, qu´il avait eu de l´épouse d´Al Mamun ibn Abbad" when recording the battle of Uclés. Salazar y Acha attempts to explain these three apparently contradictory sources by suggesting that Zaida could have been the daughter of "un hermano mayor…Ismail ibn Abbad" of Mohammed al-Mutamid, noting particularly the practice of endogamous marriages in the Muslim dynasties. As noted above, Ismail is recorded as the brother of al-Mutatid and so would have been the paternal uncle of al-Mutamid. From a chronological point of view therefore Salazar y Acha´s suggestion appears untenible, although Zaida could have been another relative, maybe the daughter of an otherwise unrecorded brother of al-Mutamid. Alberto Montaner Frutos also discusses Zaïda, in particular relating to legends which have developed in connection with her history. Reilly dates the start of her relationship with King Alfonso to late 1091 or 1092, suggesting its diplomatic importance would have been greatest after the fall of Córdoba in Mar 1091 but before the fall of Badajoz in early 1094. This seems supported by the likelihood that their son Sancho was at least 15 years old when he was killed at the battle of Uclés in May 1108. Zaïda was christened ISABEL, date not known. Reilly cites a document of Galician origin dated 27 Mar 1106 which indicates that King Alfonso had married "Helisabet" shortly before. 1
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