Umayyad conquest of Hispania

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Cite This Source

The Umayyad conquest of Hispania (711–718) began as an army of the Umayyad Caliphate consisting largely of Berbers, inhabitants of Northwest Africa recently converted to Islam, invaded the Christian Visigothic Kingdom located on the Iberian peninsula. Under the authority of the Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I of Damascus, and commanded by Tariq ibn Ziyad, they disembarked at Gibraltar on April 30, 711, and campaigned their way northward. Tariq's forces were reinforced the next year by those of his superior, the Emir Musa ibn Nusair.

During the eight-year campaign, most of the Iberian Peninsula was brought under Muslim occupation save for small areas in the northwest (Galicia and Asturias) and largely Basque regions in the Pyrenees. The conquered territory, under the Arabic name al-Andalus, became part of the expanding Umayyad empire.

The invaders subsequently moved northeast across the Pyrenees, but were defeated by the Frank, Charles Martel, at the Battle of Tours in 732. Muslim control of French territory was intermittent and ended in 975. Meanwhile, the Christian Reconquista, or reconquest, of the Iberian Peninsula began with Pelayo's victory at the Battle of Covadonga in 722.

Background

With the rise of Roderic to the throne of the Visigothic Kingdom, and with the subsequent death, in 710, of the previous king, Wittiza, in captivity, the relatives and partisans of the latter had fled to Ceuta (Septa), on the northern shore of North Africa. Ceuta was also a haven for Arians and Jews who fled forced conversions at the hands of the Catholic bishops, who held great sway with the Visigothic monarchs.

The count of Ceuta was one Julian, who was called Ilyan by the Muslims. Though he may have been technically Roderic's vassal, in light of Ceuta's distant, isolated, and vulnerable location Julian was on good terms with the powerful Muslim conquerors of North Africa. After taking control of the surrounding area of the Maghreb, Musa ibn Nusair had established his governor, Tariq ibn Ziyad, at Tangier with a Moorish army of 1,700 men.

Julian and his family were also on increasingly good terms with the family of Wittiza. Both sought to gain power in the Visigothic kingdom. Indeed, a number of historians have concluded that a Visigothic civil war was in progress. King Roderic was too powerful and winning the war; therefore, Julian sought the help of Musa.

Musa was initially skeptical of the venture, perhaps fearing it to be a trap but most likely doubting that much could be gained in return for the risks from such an alliance. In July 710, perhaps after securing approval from the Caliph Al-Walid I in Damascus, Musa authorized a small raid to test the southern coastline of the Iberian peninsula. The raid, led by Tarif ibn Malluk, was successful and plans were made for a larger expedition.

As to the initial nature of the expedition, historical opinion takes three directions: (1) that a force was sent to aid one side in a civil war in the hope of plunder and a future alliance; (2) that it was a reconnaissance force sent to test the military strength of the Visigothic kingdom; (3) that it was the first wave of a full-scale invasion.

Invasion

The invasion began in the spring of 711. At that time Roderic was campaigning against the Basques and Franks near the northern town of Pamplona. Sailing by night, Tariq secretly crossed the Strait of Gibraltar on the 30th of April with some 1,700 men. Ibn Abd-el-Hakem reports that "the people of Andalus did not observe them, thinking that the vessels crossing and recrossing were similar to the trading vessels which for their benefit plied backwards and forwards." Tariq and his men marched up as far as Cartagena.

Roderic marched south and met Tariq on July 19, 711 at the Battle of the Rio Barbate, or the Battle of Guadalete, in the Province of Cadiz. Roderic's army of around 25,000 men was defeated by Tariq's force of approximately 7,000, largely due to a reversal of fortune when the wings commanded by Roderic's relatives Sisbert and Osbert deserted or switched sides.

Roderic is believed to have died in the battle, though his precise fate is unknown. The great majority of Roderic's court is believed believed to have been killed. This crushing defeat left the Visigoths largely leaderless and disorganized and the survivors fled north to Écija, near Seville. The resulting power vacuum, which may have indeed caught Tariq completely by surprise, aided immensely the Muslim conquest.

Chronology

6th century - Visigothic noblemen had grown into territorial lords.
612 - Royal decree issued enjoining all Jews to be baptized under penalty of banishment and confiscation of property.
710 - Tarif ibn Malluk with 400 men and 100 horses landed on the tiny peninsula of the European continent now called isle of Tarifa after his name.
711 - Musa ibn Nusair, Governor of North Africa, dispatched his Berber freedman Tariq ibn Ziyad into the Iberian Peninsula encouraged by the success of Tarif and the dynastic trouble in the Visigoth Kingdom of Hispania.
July 19, 711 - Tariq ibn Ziyad, with 7,000 men, and Julian, count of Ceuta, with 12,000 men, confronted King Roderick, with 25,000 men, by the Barbate River (now called Salado River) on the shore of a lagoon. Roderick's army was utterly routed.
June 712 - Syrians rushed to Hispania and attacked towns and strongholds avoided by Tariq ibn Ziyad.
February 715 - Musa ibn Nusair, Governor of Ifriqiya, entered Damascus with the Visigoth kings and princes and for the first time hundreds of western royalty and thousands of European captives were seen offering homage to the commander of the Muslims in Damascus. Musa the Conqueror of North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula died in Hejaz, while performing the Hajj. His son Abd al-Aziz ibn Musa was announced first Amir of Andalus and married the widow of King Roderick, Egilona Balthes. Seville became the Capital.
717-718 - Lured by the rich treasures of convents and churches of France and encouraged by the internal dissension between the chief officers of the Merovingian court and the dukes of Aquitaine, Al-Hurr ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Thaqafi invaded Septimania.
719 - Al-Samh ibn Malik al-Khawlani, 4th Amir, transferred the seat of Governor from Seville to Córdoba.
Spring 732 - Emir Abd Al-Rahman ibn Abdullah Al-Ghafiqi advanced through the western Pyrenees, crossed it, and vanquished Duke Odo of Aquitaine on the banks of the Garonne. Tours was a sort of religious capital for Gaul, the resting-place of the body of St. Martin, the apostle of Gaul.
October 732 - Battle of Tours (Balat Al Shuhada`). Abd Al-Rahman Al-Ghafiqi, the Arab leader, met Charles Martel, Mayor at the Merovingian court. After seven days of waiting anxiously to join the battle, Abd Al-Rahman Al-Ghafiqi took the initiative in the attack. Charles' army hewed the attackers down with their swords. Among the victims was Abd Al-Rahman Al-Ghafiqi. Under cover of night the Muslims had quietly vanished, and Charles came off victorious.
734-742 - Open revolt from Morocco to Al-Qayrawan spread to the Iberian peninsula. Mudaris and Yemenis agreed on choosing alternately one of their numbers each year to rule Al-Andalus.
Governor Yusuf ibn 'Abd al-Rahman al-Fihri, a Mudarite and descendant of Uqbah ibn Nafiaa`, refused to give turn to the Yemenite candidate and ruled for nine years, 747-756.
755 - Advent of the Umayyad Abd Al-Rahman Al Dakhel, "Saqr Quraysh". In late 755, he landed on the southern coast, in Granada, and was on his way to conquer al-Andalus.

Umayyad conquest of Hispania

Background

Invasion

Chronology

See also

External links