Everything about Tariq Ibn-ziyad totally explained
Tariq ibn Ziyad or
Taric bin Zeyad (d.
720), known in Spanish history and legend as
Taric el Tuerto (Taric the one-eyed), was a
Berber Muslim and
Umayyad general who led the conquest of
Visigothic Hispania in
711 under the orders of the Umayyad Caliph
Al-Walid I. According to the historian
Ibn Khaldoun, Tariq Ibn Ziyad was from the Berber tribe of Nefzaoua, a particular branch of the Oulhasas, which live to this day on the banks of Oued Tafna, in modern day
Algeria.
Tariq ibn Ziyad is considered to be one of the most important military commanders in Iberian history. He was initially the deputy of
Musa ibn Nusair in
North Africa, and was sent by his superior to launch the first thrust of a conquest of the
Iberian peninsula (comprising modern
Spain and
Portugal). Some claim that he was invited to intervene by the heirs of the
Visigothic King,
Wittiza, in the Visigothic civil war.
On
April 29,
711, the armies of Tariq landed at
Gibraltar (the name
Gibraltar is derived from the
Arabic name
Jabal Tariq, which means
mountain of Tariq, or the more obvious
Gibr Tariq, meaning
rock of Tariq).
The 17th century Muslim historian
Al Maggari wrote that upon landing, Tariq is said to have burned his ships then made the following speech, well-known in the Muslim world, to his soldiers:
» أيّها الناس، أين المفر؟ البحر من ورائكم، والعدوّ أمامكم، وليس لكم والله إلا الصدق والصبر...
O People ! Where can you flee? The sea is behind you, and the enemy in front of you: There is nothing for you, by God, except for truth and strength of character. (as recounted by
al-Maqqari in the year 1628 AD).
The
Moorish armies swept through
Hispania and, in the summer of
711, won a decisive victory when the Visigothic king,
Roderic, was defeated and killed on
July 19th at the
Battle of Guadalete. Afterwards, Tariq was made governor of
Hispania but eventually was called back to
Damascus by the
Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I.
Ship burning
Western histories claim Tariq ordered his soldiers to burn their boats as soon as they'd reached Iberia. Tariq had only 12,000 soldiers whereas the enemies had 100,000 soldiers lined up ready for war. Tariq won.
Chinese general
Xiang Yu did the same thing to show his soldiers that they've no other options but to win almost a millennium earlier, in
208 BC, as did
Hernan Cortés later in the 16th century when he landed in
Mexico to conquer the
Mexica. Similarly, Tariq's policy was either to conquer the enemy or to die in honor. This led to the
Battle of Guadalete 711 CE.
Tariq's Address to His Soldiers, 711 CE
Another more detailed account proposed by 17th century Islamic historian
Al Maggari in 1628 AD of the alleged speech of Tariq is contained in his work "The breath of perfumes" as follows: When Tariq had been informed of the approach of the enemy, he rose in the midst of his companions and, after having glorified God in the highest, he gave his speech.
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