Goths Betrayal of Spain

No sooner did Tarik set his foot in Andalusia than he was attacked by a Goth named Tudmir (Theodomir), to whom Roderic had entrusted the defense of that frontier.

Continuing Saracens Invade Spain,
our selection from History of the Mahometan Dynasties in Spain by Abu-l-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Mohammed al-Maqqari published in 1592. The selection is presented in four easy 5 minute installments. For works benefiting from the latest research see the “More information” section at the bottom of these pages.

Previously in Saracens Invade Spain.

Time: 711 AD
Place: Guadalete, Spain

No sooner did Tarik set his foot in Andalusia than he was attacked by a Goth named Tudmir (Theodomir), to whom Roderic had entrusted the defense of that frontier. Theodomir, who is the same general who afterward gave his name to a province of Andalusia, called Belad Tudmir, “the country of Theodomir,” having tried, although in vain, to stop the impetuous career of Tarik’s men, despatched immediately a messenger to his master, apprising him how Tarik and his followers had landed in Andalusia. He also wrote him a letter thus conceived: “This our land has been invaded by people whose name, country and origin are unknown to me. I cannot even tell whence they came — whether they fell from the skies or sprang from the earth.”

When this news reached Roderic, who was then in the country of the Bashkans (Basques), making war in the territory of Banbilonah (Pamplona), where serious disturbances had occurred, he guessed directly that the blow came from Ilyan. Sensible, however, of the importance of this attack made upon his dominions, he left what he had in hand and, moving toward the south with the whole of his powerful army, arrived in Cordova, which is placed in the center of Andalusia. There he took up his abode in the royal castle, which the Arabs called after him Roderic’s castle. In this palace Roderic took up his residence for a few days, to await the arrival of the numerous troops which he had summoned from the different provinces of his kingdom.

They say that while he was staying in Cordova he wrote to the sons of Wittiza to come and join him against the common enemy; for, although it is true that Roderic had usurped the throne of their father and persecuted the sons, yet he had spared their lives; since these two sons of Wittiza are the same who, when Tarik attacked the forces of King Roderic on the plains of Guadalete, near the sea, turned back and deserted their ranks, owing to a promise made them by Tarik to restore them to the throne of their father, if they helped him against Roderic. However, when Roderic arrived in Cordova, the sons of Wittiza were busily engaged in some distant province collecting troops to march against the invaders and he wrote to them to come and join him with their forces, in order to march against the Arabs; and, cautioning them against the inconvenience and danger of private feuds at that moment, engaged them to join him and attack the Arabs in one mass. The sons of Wittiza readily agreed to Roderic’s proposition and collecting all their forces, came to meet him and encamped not far from the village of Shakandah, on the opposite side of the river and on the south of the palace of Cordova.

There they remained for some time, not daring to enter the capital or to trust Roderic, until at last, having ascertained the truth of the preparations and seeing the army march out of the city and him with it, they entered Cordova, united their forces to his and marched with him against the enemy, although, as will be seen presently, they were already planning the treachery which they afterward committed. Others say that the sons of Wittiza did not obey the summons sent them by the usurper Roderic; on the contrary, that they joined Tarik with all their forces.

When Tarik received the news of the approach of Roderic’s army, which is said to have amounted to nearly one hundred thousand men, provided with all kinds of weapons and military stores, he wrote to Musa for assistance, saying that he had taken Algesiras, a port of Andalusia, thus becoming, by its possession, the master of the passage into that country; that he had subdued its districts as far as the bay; but that Roderic was now advancing against him with a force which it was not in his power to resist, except it was God Almighty’s will that it should be so. Musa, who since Tarik’s departure for this expedition had been employed in building ships and had by this time collected a great many, sent by them a reinforcement of five thousand Moslems, which, added to the seven thousand of the first expedition, made the whole forces amount to twelve thousand men, eager for plunder and anxious for battle. Ilyan was also sent with his army and the people of his states to accompany this expedition and to guide it through the passes in the country and gather intelligence for them.

In the mean while Roderic was drawing nearer to the Moslems, with all the forces of the barbarians, their lords, their knights and their bishops; but the hearts of the great people of the kingdom being against him, they used to see each other frequently and in their private conversations they uttered their sentiments about Roderic in the following manner: “This wretch has by force taken possession of the throne to which he is not justly entitled, for not only he does not belong to the royal family but he was once one of our meanest menials; we do not know how far he may carry his wicked intentions against us. There is no doubt but that Tarik’s followers do not intend to settle in this country; their only wish is to fill their hands with spoil and then return. Let us then, as soon as the battle is engaged, give way and leave the usurper alone to fight the strangers, who will soon deliver us from him; and, when they shall be gone, we can place on the throne him who most deserves it.”

In these sentiments all agreed and it was decided that the proposed plan should be put into execution; the two sons of Wittiza, whom Roderic had appointed to the command of the right and left wings of his army, being at the head of the conspiracy, in the hope of gaining the throne of their father.

When the armies drew nearer to each other, the princes began to spin the web of their treason; and for this purpose a messenger was sent by them to Tarik, informing him how Roderic, who had been a mere menial and servant to their father, had, after his death, usurped the throne; that the princes had by no means relinquished their rights and that they implored protection and security for themselves. They offered to desert and pass over to Tarik with the troops under their command, on condition that the Arab general would, after subduing the whole of Andalusia, secure to them all their father’s possessions, amounting to three thousand valuable and chosen farms, the same that received after this the name of Safaya-l-moluk, “the royal portion.” This offer Tarik accepted; and, having agreed to the conditions, on the next day the sons of Wittiza deserted the ranks of the Gothic army in the midst of battle and passed over to Tarik, this being, no doubt, one of the principal causes of the conquest.

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