Although the conquerors professed the same religion, bowed to the same
prophet, and waged war for the same great calif in the East, yet they
were not all of the same nationality, for in the army of invasion were
not only Arabs, but Moors, Egyptians, and Syrians. In time, however,
all came to be called by the name of Moors, though their differences
of birth and divergence of views led to serious quarrels among them.
The first estrangement was when Musa, the emir, finding that Tarik
had disobeyed his orders, and, instead of returning to Africa after
defeating the Goths in battle and acquiring vast plunder, had pursued
his conquests toward the north, hastily gathered another army and
followed on his tracks.
Musa found, however, that though Tarik had followed up his victory by
effectually scattering the defeated Goths, and even taking the capital
city, Toledo, there was yet room for another conqueror to operate;
so, instead of immediately pursuing Tarik, after he had landed he
made a detour through Andalusia and took Medina Sidonia and the rich
Roman city of Seville. Then, though gorged with plunder enough to have
satisfied a king, he pushed on after and overtook the recreant Tarik
at the city of Toledo. “I gave thee orders to make a foray only, then
return to Africa,” he said to the veteran, “yet thou hast marched
through all this territory without my permission.” The warrior received
this reproof in silence, and for a time a truce was made between them;
they pushed on their conquests, the one into the northwest, the other
into the north and east, until only the Pyrenees separated them from
the country of the Gauls.
Between them they brought all Spain under subjection, with the
exception of certain remote districts, which they thought too small or
too distant to be attacked. But it was within the confines of these
small mountain valleys of the northwest that, protected by their
rugged barriers, the defeated Goths halted and found a home, and
gathered as a nucleus for future forays upon their enemies; as we shall
see.
When the country had been practically conquered, the quarrel between
Musa and Tarik was renewed; finally it reached the ears of the Calif
at Bagdad that his most valiant generals were fighting like jackals
over their prey, and he summoned them both to the Orient, there to give
account of themselves. It would seem that gratitude was a sentiment
entirely foreign to the Arab character, as instanced not only on this
occasion, but on many another during the conquest and continuance of
the Moors in Spain; for, in spite of his inestimable services to the
califate, notwithstanding he had given to the Moslems a new country as
their own, and had extended the sway of Islam westward to the Atlantic,
Musa was degraded, even sentenced to death, and finally ended his life
in poverty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account