Musa ibn Nusayr facts for kids

Musa ibn Nusayr (Arabic: موسى بن نصير Mūsá bin Nuṣayr; c. 640 – c. 716) was an important Arab general and governor. He served the Umayyad Caliphate, a large Islamic empire. Musa was in charge of the Muslim lands in North Africa, known as Ifriqiya. He also led the successful Islamic conquest of the Visigothic Kingdom in Hispania. This area included modern-day Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and parts of southern France.

Early Life and Career

Musa ibn Nusayr was born around the year 640. His father, Nusayr, was an Arab who was captured in a battle. He later became a free man. Nusayr worked for Abd al-Aziz ibn Marwan, who was the governor of Egypt.

Abd al-Aziz thought highly of Musa. Later, Musa became a co-governor of Iraq. However, there was a problem with missing tax money. Musa faced a huge fine or worse. Abd al-Aziz stepped in and paid the fine for him. Because of this, Abd al-Aziz later chose Musa to be the governor of Ifriqiya.

Conquering North Africa

Before Musa, another general named Hasan ibn al-Nu'man was trying to conquer North Africa. But he was replaced because of ongoing attacks from the Byzantine Empire. Musa bin Nusayr was then sent to continue the conquest.

Musa used a different approach. Instead of forcing people to become Muslim, he respected the local traditions of the Berbers. He used diplomacy and made agreements. This worked very well! Many Berbers chose to become Muslim. They even joined his army as soldiers and officers. One famous Berber who might have joined him was Tariq bin Ziyad. Tariq would later lead the invasion of Spain.

Governor of Ifriqiya

In 698, Musa became the governor of Ifriqiya. His job was to finish conquering North Africa. He also conquered the islands of Ibiza, Majorca, and Menorca. Musa was the first Muslim general to capture and control Tangiers. His troops also took control of the southern parts of Morocco.

The Byzantine Empire often attacked by sea. So, Musa built a strong navy. This navy helped him conquer the islands and protect the coast.

Conquest of Al-Andalus

Musa bin Nusayr was very keen to cross the Straits of Gibraltar into Spain. He was encouraged by a Visigoth nobleman named Julian, Count of Ceuta. Julian told Musa about the problems in Spain under their king, Roderic. He also spoke of the riches and beautiful places there.

The Invasion Begins

First, Musa sent a small raiding party to the Spanish coast at Tarifa. They returned with treasure and faced no resistance. This made Musa decide to send a larger invasion force.

Tariq bin Ziyad led about 7,000 Berber and Arab soldiers across the strait. They landed at Gibraltar, which means "Tariq's Mountain" in Arabic. Their goal was to explore and raid more territory. Julian provided guides for Tariq's army.

Three weeks after landing, Tariq's army faced a huge Visigoth army of 100,000 troops led by King Roderic. This was the Battle of Guadalete. The Muslims won, and most of the Visigoth leaders were defeated. After this victory, the Muslims marched towards Córdoba. They captured the city, and Tariq left a group of Jewish people to guard it. The Jewish community welcomed the invaders because they had faced harsh treatment from the Visigoths for centuries. Tariq then continued his march to Toledo.

Musa's Arrival

When Musa heard about Tariq's successes, he landed in Spain with his own army of 18,000 soldiers. He planned to meet Tariq in Toledo. But first, he captured Seville, a city Tariq had bypassed. Musa faced strong resistance in Seville and had to besiege it for three months before taking it.

He then campaigned in the area of Lusitania (modern-day Portugal). He defeated the remaining Gothic resistance there. His last stop before meeting Tariq was to capture Mérida. After a five-month siege, Musa's forces finally took the city.

After Mérida, Musa divided his army. He took most of his troops to meet Tariq in Toledo. The rest of his forces were led by his son, Abd al-Aziz ibn Musa. Abd al-Aziz returned to Seville to deal with a rebellion. He quickly put down the uprising. He then led campaigns in Lusitania, capturing Coimbra and Santarém in 714.

Abd al-Aziz also campaigned in Murcia. The Duke of Murcia, Theodemir, surrendered to Abd al-Aziz in April 713. The agreement allowed Theodemir to keep his city and other settlements. His followers would not be killed or forced to convert to Islam. Their churches would also be safe. In return, Theodemir had to pay an annual tax and not support resistance against the Muslims.

Meeting in Toledo and Summons to Damascus

Musa finally met Tariq in Toledo. They had an argument about the treasures Tariq had collected, which included a famous gold table. Meanwhile, Musa had sent a messenger to Caliph Al-Walid I to report on the conquest. The Caliph ordered Musa to return to Damascus in person.

Musa chose to ignore the order for a short time. He knew that if he stopped, the Visigoths might fight back harder. So, he continued north with Tariq. Musa went to Zaragoza and besieged it. Tariq continued into the provinces of León and Castile, capturing León and Astorga. Musa went even further north, taking Oviedo and reaching the Bay of Biscay. With the conquest of Spain mostly complete, Musa appointed governors for the new lands, called Al-Andalus. Then, he returned to Damascus with much of the captured treasure.

Return to Damascus and Later Life

Both Musa and Tariq were called back to Damascus by the Caliph. Tariq arrived first. When Musa arrived, the Caliph Al-Walid I was ill. The Caliph's brother, Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik, was temporarily in charge. He asked Musa to delay his grand entry into the city. Sulayman wanted to claim the glory of the conquest for himself.

But Musa ignored this request. He entered Damascus triumphantly with his soldiers and treasures. He presented the spoils to the ailing Caliph Al-Walid I. This made Musa and Tariq very popular with the people of Damascus. However, Caliph Al-Walid I died a few days later. His brother Sulayman became the new Caliph.

Sulayman demanded that Musa hand over all his treasures. When Musa complained, Sulayman removed him from his position and took all the spoils, including the famous gold table.

One of Musa's sons, Abd al-Aziz ibn Musa, became governor in Spain. He married Egilona, who was the wife of the defeated King Roderic. There were rumors that Abd al-Aziz had secretly become Christian. A group of Arabs assassinated him and sent his head to the Caliph Sulayman. When Musa saw his son's head, he remained strong. He said his son had always been a faithful Muslim and cursed those who killed him. Another son, Abd Allah, who had governed Ifriqiya after Musa, was also executed on the Caliph's orders.

Musa died naturally around 715–716 while on the Hajj pilgrimage with Caliph Sulayman. Because of his fall from power and the misfortunes of his sons, some historians later gave credit for his achievements to other generals.

The mountain Jebel Musa in Morocco is named after Musa bin Nusayr. Some historical accounts say he was buried in Zaragoza, Spain.

See also

In Spanish: Musa ibn Nusair para niños

• Umayyad conquest of North Africa
• Umayyad conquest of Hispania
• Timeline of the Muslim Occupation of the Iberian peninsula
• Al-Andalus