Battle of Guadalete facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Guadalete |
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| Part of the Umayyad conquest of Hispania | |||||||
 The Visigothic retreat in front of the Berber cavalry, as depicted by Salvador Martínez Cubells (1845–1914) |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Visigothic Kingdom | Umayyad Caliphate | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Roderic † | Ṭāriq ibn Ziyad | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
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~2,500 (Collins) |
~1,900 (Collins) |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown, but included many nobles and the king | ~3,000 (Lewis) | ||||||
The Battle of Guadalete was a very important fight in the year 711. It marked the start of the Umayyad conquest of Hispania, which was when Muslim armies began taking over the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal).
This battle happened in southern Spain. It was fought between the Visigoths, who were Christians led by their king, Roderic, and the invading Muslim forces. These Muslim forces were mostly Berbers and some Arabs, led by a commander named Ṭāriq ibn Ziyad.
The Battle of Guadalete was a big deal because it was the main event after many smaller attacks by the Berbers. King Roderic was killed during the battle. Many important Visigothic leaders also died. This opened the way for the Muslim forces to capture Toledo, which was the capital city of the Visigothic kingdom.
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What Led to the Battle?
King Roderic ruled the Visigothic kingdom around 710–711. However, he wasn't the only ruler. There might have been another king, Achila II, in the northeast part of the kingdom. Roderic probably faced challenges to his rule.
The Battle of Guadalete wasn't a surprise attack. Before this big battle, Berber forces from North Africa had been raiding southern Spain. They crossed the Straits of Gibraltar and attacked several towns. These raids had been happening since about 705.
Two large armies were in the south of Spain for about a year before the main battle. One was led by Ṭāriq ibn Ziyad, and the other by Mūsā ibn Nuṣayr. Most historical accounts say that Ṭāriq was a Berber military leader from North Africa.
Ṭāriq's army sailed from Ceuta and landed at a place called the Rock of Calpe. This place later became known as Gibraltar, which means "Rock of Ṭāriq" in Arabic. A famous story says that Ṭāriq burned his boats after landing. He did this to make sure his soldiers couldn't run away. They had to fight! From Gibraltar, he moved to conquer the area of Algeciras.
Another leader, Mūsā, also crossed into Spain with a large army in 711. It's not clear if he arrived before or after the Battle of Guadalete. During this time, Spain was in a state of civil war. Cities were destroyed, and many people were killed.
When and Where Did It Happen?
The Battle of Guadalete is traditionally said to have happened in 711. Some later Arabic records give a more exact date, like July 25 or 26. Historian David Levering Lewis suggests it was on July 19, 711. Before the main battle, there were a week of smaller fights. These skirmishes took place near a lake called La Janda.
The exact location of the battle is still a bit of a mystery. Many later Arab accounts say it was near Medina Sidonia. They mention it being "near the lake" or a river called Wadilakka. This river is often thought to be the Guadalete river, or perhaps the Barbate river. The earliest Christian records say it happened near some "Transductine promontories," but we don't know exactly where those were.
The Battle Itself
We don't have perfect records of the armies involved. Historians believe the Muslim army was mostly Berber cavalry (soldiers on horseback). Old Arabic stories claim King Roderic had 100,000 troops, which is probably too high. They also say the Muslims had 187,000, which is also very unlikely.
A more realistic guess is that Ṭāriq landed with about 7,000 horsemen and got 5,000 more. So, there might have been around 12,000 Muslim fighters in total. The Visigothic army was probably not much larger than that. The Visigothic kingdom wasn't set up for a big war like some other kingdoms.
The Visigothic army lost because some of King Roderic's own rivals were with him. These rivals didn't truly support him. They were there "deceitfully" and "out of ambition to rule." They stood aside during the battle, giving the enemy an opening.
Ṭāriq's cavalry, called the mujaffafa, were armored and wore turbans. They quickly attacked the Visigothic foot soldiers. The Christian army was completely defeated, and King Roderic was killed. It was a very bloody battle. Many Visigothic soldiers died. The Muslims also lost many men, perhaps as many as 3,000.
It's possible that Roderic's enemies wanted him to be defeated and killed by the Muslims. However, their plan backfired because many of them also died in the battle. Some historians believe that the defeat was due to the Visigothic kingdom being divided by different groups fighting each other.
After the battle, a Visigothic nobleman named Theudimer made a deal with the conquerors to keep control of his land. Within ten years, almost all of Spain was under Muslim rule. Only a small area in the north, the Kingdom of Asturias, and the Basques in the mountains remained free.
Why the Muslims Won
Later Arabic historians often said that their religion was the reason for their victory. One story tells of Ṭāriq giving a speech to his soldiers before the battle. He told them he would lead the charge and seek out King Roderic himself. He encouraged them to fight bravely, even if he fell.
Some stories also say that Jewish people in Spain helped the Muslim forces. They had been treated unfairly by the Christian rulers. After the victory, Jews reportedly helped guard cities like Seville, Córdoba, and Toledo. However, the earliest Christian records don't mention Jews fighting alongside the Muslims.
For a long time, people thought the Visigothic kingdom fell because it was weak or "decadent." Some old writings blamed the Goths' defeat on their "sins." However, modern historians don't fully agree with this idea.
Interesting Stories and Legends
Many legends grew around the Battle of Guadalete. One famous story is about Count Julian. The legend says he helped Ṭāriq by providing ships. He supposedly did this to get revenge on King Roderic, who had dishonored his daughter. However, historical evidence shows that the Arabs already had their own ships.
Another legend says King Roderic arrived at the battle in a chariot pulled by eight white mules.
There are also stories about a "sealed chamber" in Toledo and a famous "table of Solomon" that was supposedly found there. This table was said to be captured by Tariq and later taken to Damascus. Some Muslim writers believed it was Solomon's table, while others thought it was just a legend.
After the battle, King Roderic's golden sandal was supposedly found in the Guadalete river. These legends add a lot of mystery and drama to the history of the conquest.
Images for kids
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The Visigothic retreat in front of the Berber cavalry, as depicted by Salvador Martínez Cubells (1845–1914)
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Guadalete para niños
