COUNT JULIAN’S DECISION AND THE APPEARANCE OF THE MUSLIMS IN THE IBERIAN PENINSULA.

As we have discussed in the previous episode that Count Julian is left to decide whether to allow his silent enemy who also harassed his daughter to go free or not, in this episode, the count made a visit out of the blue to the Muslim governor, Musa bn Nusair.

He persuaded Musa to invade the Iberian Peninsula and end the reign of terror of Roderick. As expected, musa who was a wise commander wanted to be sure that the Count is not trying to lure him into a trap by his offer, so he made a condition in order to test the count’s sincerity. He told him to invade Spain first with his own army. Count Julian invaded some part of Spain with his army and captured some slaves in November 709A.D. Musa wrote a letter to the Caliph in Damascus to undertake an expedition to Spain of which he was permitted.

He sent some forces with a commander called Tariff bn malluk who invaded some villages and returned with a large booty. Thus, the coast became clear for Musa to mount an all-out expedition to Spain. Musa then commissioned one of his most trusted men called Tariq bn ziyad to lead the expedition. Tariq was a Neo Muslim(new convert to Islam) of Berber origin who was a freedman of musa and has risen high so fast in the army owing to his bravery, wisdom and loyalty. When he was summoned for the blessed mission, he was then the governor of the previously conquered Tangier.

Stay tuned till our next episode is released.