Julian, Count of Ceuta facts for kids

Julian, Count of Ceuta was a powerful governor in North Africa. He is known for his role in the Umayyad conquest of Hispania, which is a very important event in the history of Spain and Portugal. Some stories say he was a turncoat, meaning he switched sides. He might have been a leader in Ceuta and Tangiers, first working for the Byzantine Empire, then for the Visigothic king, and later secretly helping the Muslims.

Was Count Julian a Real Person?

Not much is known for sure about Count Julian as a historical figure. The oldest writings about him are from the 9th century. These writings say that Julian first fought against the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb (North Africa). But then, he joined the Umayyad conquest of Hispania (Spain).

Other details, like him having a daughter named La Cava, appeared later, around the 11th century. Historians have debated for a long time whether Julian was a real person. Many experts today think that the stories about him, especially those involving La Cava, are mostly legends. However, they don't completely rule out that he might have been a real person.

Ceuta: An Important City

Ceuta is a city on the coast of North Africa. It was a very important place because it could be easily defended with only a few soldiers. The Byzantine Empire used a strategy of defending key towns and routes. Ceuta was perfect for this.

Julian was called a "count," which was a common title back then. He might have had some Byzantine title before he came under the control of the Visigoths. Some historians believe that if Julian had a daughter in Spain, she might have been there as a hostage. This would ensure Julian's loyalty to the Visigothic kings.

What was a "Count" in the Roman Army?

Julian was reportedly a count, or "Commander of Septem" (the old name for Ceuta). In the Byzantine army in North Africa, a "comes" (count) was the leader of a military group. This was similar to a tribune in the old Roman army.

The Byzantine army in Africa had about 15,000 soldiers. A count could command anywhere from 200 to 400 men in a battle. Sometimes, they could command up to 520 men in a garrison. These counts usually reported to a higher officer who commanded 2,000 to 3,000 men.

The Arab Conquest of North Africa

The Arab conquest of North Africa happened very quickly. For a while, the Byzantines tried to fight back and even took back some cities like Carthage. However, the Arabs sent more soldiers and eventually took control of most of the region.

After this, the only strong resistance the Arabs faced was the fortress of Septem Fratres (Ceuta). It held out until 711 AD. Also, the local Berber tribes in the countryside continued to resist.

Different Names for Julian

The earliest source for Julian's story calls him Ilyan or Bulyan. Later Arabic writers usually called him Ilyan. Some scholars thought Julian might be the same person as "Urbanus," who appears in another old chronicle. However, this idea has been largely dismissed by modern historians.

Some early Spanish writers believed Julian was a made-up character. But others pointed to Arabic historians from the 9th century who mentioned Julian. These historians also talked about his disagreement with King Roderic.

Some historians believe that Julian might have been a Berber leader. He might have been a vassal (a lord who owes loyalty to a king) of King Roderic. However, this is not certain.

Around 708 AD, as Muslim armies neared Ceuta, its Byzantine governor, Julian, supposedly changed his loyalty. He then encouraged the Muslims to invade the Iberian Peninsula. After Julian's death, the Arabs took direct control of Ceuta.

Count Julian's Role in the Conquest of Spain

The Conflict with King Roderic

According to an Egyptian historian named Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam, Julian sent one of his daughters to King Roderic's court in Toledo. This was for her education and to show Julian's loyalty. The story says that Roderic then dishonored her. When Julian found out, he was very angry. He took his daughter away and, seeking revenge, he betrayed Spain to the Muslim invaders. This act supposedly made the Umayyad conquest of Hispania possible. In Spanish stories, his daughter became known as La Cava.

However, this story might just be a legend. It's possible that political struggles were the real reason. There was a civil war among the Visigothic nobles. King Roderic had become king, but he had ignored the sons of the previous king, Wittiza. So, Wittiza's family and supporters fled to Julian in Ceuta. There, they joined with other groups who were not happy with Roderic.

At that time, the area around Ceuta had been conquered by Musa ibn Nusair. He had placed Tariq ibn Ziyad in charge of Tangier with an army. Julian approached Musa to ask for help in overthrowing Roderic.

It's not clear if Julian wanted to put one of Wittiza's sons on the throne to gain power for himself. Or if he truly intended to open Spain to a foreign conquest. The second option seems less likely. But Julian might have had good relations with the Muslims, finding them more tolerant than the Catholic Visigoths. If Julian was the Greek commander of the last Byzantine outpost in Africa, he would have been an ally of the Visigoths, not part of their kingdom.

Perhaps, in exchange for land in al-Andalus (the Arab name for Spain) or to overthrow a king, Julian gave the Muslims important military information, troops, and ships.

Muslim Reconnaissance and Invasion

At first, Musa was unsure about Julian's plan. So, in July 710, he sent Tarif ibn Malluk to explore the Spanish coast. Legend says Julian went along as a guide. He arranged for Tarif to be welcomed by Christians who supported Julian. These might have been Julian's relatives or friends. They agreed to help in the fight for the Visigothic throne.

The next summer, Julian provided the ships to carry Muslim troops across to Europe. Julian also gave information to Tariq, the Muslim general. Tariq then crossed the Strait of Gibraltar with about 17,000 men. He landed at Gibraltar on April 30, 711. This marked the beginning of the Umayyad conquest of Hispania.

The Battle of Guadalete

Later, in the Battle of Guadalete on July 19, King Roderic's army was defeated by Tariq's forces. Some sources say Roderic had about 25,000 men, while Tariq had around 7,000 to 12,000. Roderic's army lost partly because some of his relatives, who commanded parts of his army, either deserted or switched sides. Legend says this was all part of a plan made by Julian.

After the conquest, Julian was supposedly given the lands he was promised by the Muslims. But the story often says he lived a lonely life, filled with guilt for betraying his kingdom.

Count Julian in Stories and Plays

Julian and his daughter, Florinda la Cava, appear in many old stories and poems. These stories were popular in the Middle Ages and early modern times. They often begin with the phrase "Amores trata Rodrigo..." (Rodrigo deals with loves...).

In his famous book Don Quixote (1605), Miguel de Cervantes mentions a place called "the Cava rumia." He explains that "cava" means "wicked woman" and "rumia" means "Christian" in their language. It's a tradition that La Cava, who supposedly caused Spain to be lost, is buried there.

Many British writers have also written poems and plays about these legends. These include Sir Walter Scott in "The Vision of Don Roderick" (1811), Walter Savage Landor in his play Count Julian (1812), and Robert Southey in Roderick, the Last of the Goths (1814).

The American writer Washington Irving retold these legends in his 1835 book Legends of the Conquest of Spain. This book includes stories like "Legend of Don Roderick" and "Legend of Count Julian and His Family."

In 2000, Julian's story was even turned into a West End musical called La Cava.

See also

In Spanish: Don Julián para niños