Count Cassius facts for kids
Count Cassius (active in the 700s AD), also known as "Count Casius," was an important nobleman from the Visigothic kingdom in what is now Spain. He is famous for starting a powerful family called the Banu Qasi dynasty.
Some historians have wondered if Count Cassius was a real person, because stories about old family lines were very popular back then. However, many believe he was a key figure in the history of the region.
Count Cassius and His Conversion
According to an old historian named Ibn al-Qūṭiyya, Count Cassius became a Muslim in 714 AD. This happened shortly after the Muslims arrived and took control of parts of Spain. By converting, Cassius became a "client" of the Umayyad Caliphate, which meant he was allied with them. This helped him keep his lands and his power.
Cassius joined forces with the Muslim leaders Musa ibn Nusayr and Tariq ibn Ziyad. He even traveled all the way to Damascus to personally promise his loyalty to the caliph Al-Walid I, who was the ruler of the Muslim empire.
His Family and Legacy
An 11th-century historian, Ibn Hazm, wrote that Cassius had five sons: Fortun, Abu Tawr, Abu Salama, Yunus, and Yahya.
- The Banu Qasi family, which became very powerful, came from Fortun, Cassius's oldest son.
- Another son, Abu Tawr, might have been the person who invited the famous Charlemagne to the city of Zaragoza in 778.
- The Banu Salama, another important family that ruled areas like Huesca later on, might have come from Abu Salama.
The Lands He Ruled
When the Muslims arrived, and even after, Count Cassius ruled a large area. This included important towns like Tudela, Tarazona, Borja, and probably Ejea. These lands were in what is now northern Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Conde Casio para niños
