Islamic invasion of Gaul
Encyclopedia
The Islamic invasion of Gaul followed the invasion of Spain
by the Muslim Commander Tariq ibn Ziyad in 711. During the 8th century Arab and Berber armies invaded Southern France, as far as Poitiers
and the Rhône valley as far as Avignon
, Lyon
, Autun
, until the turning point of the Battle of Tours
in 732.
in Septimania
(Arbouna for the Arabs) as early as 719-720, and would hold it for 40 years until 759. From 720, Narbonne was used as a base of operations, until the Battle of Toulouse (721)
, when Emir Al-Samh
(the "Zama" of Christian chronicles) was killed by Odo of Aquitaine
.
In 725, his successor, Ambizah besieged the city of Carcassonne
, which had to agree to give half of its territory, pay tribute, and make an offensive and defensive alliance with Muslim forces.
Later, Munuza
became governor of the city of Narbonne, and married the daughter of Odo of Aquitaine, who was eager to stabilize his borders. A mosque was established in Narbonne, inside the church of Sainte-Rustique. Arabic words were borrowed, such as qamis for "chemise" (shirt); quffa ("couffin" in Provence language); tordjman (translator) which became drogoman in Provencal, and is still in use in the expression "par le truchement de"; charaha (to discuss), which became "charabia".
By 731, all of Septimania
was under Islamic rule. Munuza died in 731 and soon after an Islamic force attacked Odo, vanquishing him in the Battle of the River Garonne
in 732. The Muslim force then moved north to invade Poitou
in order to plunder the Basilica of Saint-Martin-de-Tours. Soon however, Muslim forces were defeated in the Battle of Tours
in 732, considered the turning point of Muslim expansion in Gaul
. With the death of Odo in 735, Charles continued to raid the south of Gaul.
, under Abd el-Malik el Fihri, Abd al-Rahman
's successor.
Charles decided to ally with the Lombard
King Liutprand
in order to repel the Muslims. He recaptured Avignon in 737, and destroyed an Islamic fleet. The brother of Charles, Childebrand
failed however in the siege of Narbonne.
Charles attacked several of the cities which had collaborated with the Muslims, and destroyed their fortifications: Beziers
, Agde
, Maguelone, Montpellier
, Nimes
.
It was ultimately Pépin le Bref who managed to retake Narbonne
in 759, marking the end of the Muslim presence in southern Gaul.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
by the Muslim Commander Tariq ibn Ziyad in 711. During the 8th century Arab and Berber armies invaded Southern France, as far as Poitiers
Poitiers
Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
and the Rhône valley as far as Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
, Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, Autun
Autun
Autun is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in Burgundy in eastern France. It was founded during the early Roman Empire as Augustodunum. Autun marks the easternmost extent of the Umayyad campaign in Europe.-Early history:...
, until the turning point of the Battle of Tours
Battle of Tours
The Battle of Tours , also called the Battle of Poitiers and in Battle of the Court of the Martyrs, was fought in an area between the cities of Poitiers and Tours, located in north-central France, near the village of Moussais-la-Bataille, about northeast of Poitiers...
in 732.
Septimania
Islamic forces seized the southern city of NarbonneNarbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
in Septimania
Septimania
Septimania was the western region of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis that passed under the control of the Visigoths in 462, when Septimania was ceded to their king, Theodoric II. Under the Visigoths it was known as simply Gallia or Narbonensis. It corresponded roughly with the modern...
(Arbouna for the Arabs) as early as 719-720, and would hold it for 40 years until 759. From 720, Narbonne was used as a base of operations, until the Battle of Toulouse (721)
Battle of Toulouse (721)
The Battle of Toulouse was a victory of an Aquitanian army led by Duke Odo of Aquitaine over an Umayyad army besieging the city of Toulouse, and led by the governor of Al-Andalus, Al-Samh ibn Malik al-Khawlani...
, when Emir Al-Samh
Al-Samh ibn Malik al-Khawlani
Al-Samh ibn Malik al-Khawlani was the Arab governor general of the Muslim occupied region of the Iberian Peninsula called Al-Andalus from between 718 and 721.He led a Muslim incursion into southern France in the early part of the 8th century...
(the "Zama" of Christian chronicles) was killed by Odo of Aquitaine
Odo of Aquitaine
Odo the Great , Duke of Aquitaine, obtained this dignity by 700. His territory included the Duchy of Vasconia in the south-west of Gaul and the Duchy of Aquitaine , a realm extending from the Loire to the Pyrenees, with capital in Toulouse...
.
In 725, his successor, Ambizah besieged the city of Carcassonne
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
, which had to agree to give half of its territory, pay tribute, and make an offensive and defensive alliance with Muslim forces.
Later, Munuza
Munuza
Uthman ibn Naissa better known as Munuza was the Moorish governor of northern Iberia in the early 8th century. He was subject to the Wāli of Al-Andalus, Anbasa ibn Suhaym Al-Kalbi. He was defeated in the Battle of Covadonga and killed by Pelayo of Asturias at the beginning of the Reconquista...
became governor of the city of Narbonne, and married the daughter of Odo of Aquitaine, who was eager to stabilize his borders. A mosque was established in Narbonne, inside the church of Sainte-Rustique. Arabic words were borrowed, such as qamis for "chemise" (shirt); quffa ("couffin" in Provence language); tordjman (translator) which became drogoman in Provencal, and is still in use in the expression "par le truchement de"; charaha (to discuss), which became "charabia".
Aquitaine and Poitou
Septimania
Septimania was the western region of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis that passed under the control of the Visigoths in 462, when Septimania was ceded to their king, Theodoric II. Under the Visigoths it was known as simply Gallia or Narbonensis. It corresponded roughly with the modern...
was under Islamic rule. Munuza died in 731 and soon after an Islamic force attacked Odo, vanquishing him in the Battle of the River Garonne
Battle of the River Garonne
The Battle of the River Garonne was fought in 732 between an Umayyad army led by Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi, governor of Al-Andalus, and Frankish forces led by Duke Odo of Aquitaine....
in 732. The Muslim force then moved north to invade Poitou
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
in order to plunder the Basilica of Saint-Martin-de-Tours. Soon however, Muslim forces were defeated in the Battle of Tours
Battle of Tours
The Battle of Tours , also called the Battle of Poitiers and in Battle of the Court of the Martyrs, was fought in an area between the cities of Poitiers and Tours, located in north-central France, near the village of Moussais-la-Bataille, about northeast of Poitiers...
in 732, considered the turning point of Muslim expansion in Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
. With the death of Odo in 735, Charles continued to raid the south of Gaul.
Southern campaigns
Still, in 734, Islamic forces entered the city of AvignonAvignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
, under Abd el-Malik el Fihri, Abd al-Rahman
Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi
Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi , also known as Abd er Rahman, Abdderrahman, Abderame, and Abd el-Rahman, led the Andalusian Muslims into battle against the forces of Charles Martel in the Battle of Tours on October 10, 732 AD. for which he is primarily remembered in the West...
's successor.
Charles decided to ally with the Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
King Liutprand
Liutprand, King of the Lombards
Liutprand was the King of the Lombards from 712 to 744 and is chiefly remembered for his Donation of Sutri, in 728, and his long reign, which brought him into a series of conflicts, mostly successful, with most of Italy. He profited by Byzantine weakness to enlarge his domains in Emilia and the...
in order to repel the Muslims. He recaptured Avignon in 737, and destroyed an Islamic fleet. The brother of Charles, Childebrand
Childebrand
Childebrand was a Frankish duke , son of Pepin of Heristal and Alpaida, brother of Charles Martel. He married Emma of Austrasia and was given Burgundy by his father...
failed however in the siege of Narbonne.
Charles attacked several of the cities which had collaborated with the Muslims, and destroyed their fortifications: Beziers
Béziers
Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
, Agde
Agde
Agde is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. It is the Mediterranean port of the Canal du Midi.-Location:Agde is located on the river Hérault, 4 km from the Mediterranean Sea, and 750 km from Paris...
, Maguelone, Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
, Nimes
Nîmes
Nîmes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. Nîmes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
.
It was ultimately Pépin le Bref who managed to retake Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 759, marking the end of the Muslim presence in southern Gaul.