Treaty of Orihuela Facts for Kids

Map showing cities involved in the Treaty of Orihuela in 713.

The Treaty of Orihuela (also called the Treaty of Tudmir or Theodemir) was an important agreement made in 713. It happened in the city of Orihuela in what is now Spain. This treaty was between the Christian people living there and the Umayyad Caliphate, a powerful Muslim empire that was expanding into the Iberian Peninsula. It allowed Christians to keep their faith and land if they followed certain rules and paid taxes.

History of the Treaty
The Conquest of Spain
Key People in the Treaty
The Treaty Agreement
See also

History of the Treaty

The Treaty of Tudmir was an agreement between ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, a Muslim leader, and Theodemir, a Christian Visigoth prince. Theodemir was the governor of the Murcia region in Spain. This agreement was made in 713 CE, just two years after Muslim forces began to conquer Spain.

This treaty is special because it shows how the Muslims dealt with people they conquered. It suggests that they took control of southern Spain, including cities like Orihuela, Villena, Alicante, Mula, Bigastro, Ello, and Lorca, in a peaceful way. The agreement said that the people of Murcia could keep their land and practice Christianity. But they had to pay taxes and promise not to help Muslim enemies.

Even though the treaty might not seem super important at first glance, it had big effects. It shaped the culture, religion, and society of the region for a long time. To understand why, let's look at how the Muslim conquest of Spain began.

The Conquest of Spain

The Umayyad caliphate was a huge Muslim empire that grew very quickly. It reached all the way to North Africa, where the Berbers lived. Many Berbers joined the Muslim army. With their strong military, the caliphs were able to expand their control into Spain.

The first major Muslim leader to enter Spain was a Berber commander named Tariq ibn Ziyad. He was sent by Musá ibn Nusayr, who was the governor of North Africa. Tariq began his invasion through Gibraltar in the spring of 711. He secured a base there, building defenses.

Soon after, Tariq's forces took control of cities like Carteya and Algeciras. In just over two months, Tariq moved through southern Spain. He then fought a big battle against the Visigothic King Roderic at Wadi Bakkah and won. Tariq continued to conquer cities like Écija and Córdoba. He even reached Guadalajara, Spain and took control of Toledo, the capital.

Later, the Caliph al-Walid ordered Musá and Tariq to come to his court in Damascus. Before leaving, Musá put his son, ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, in charge of the conquered areas. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz continued the conquest. He reached the region of Murcia, where he met Theodemir. It was ‘Abd al-‘Aziz who signed the treaty with Theodemir. This agreement became known as the Treaty of Tudmir. The land of Murcia was also sometimes called Tudmir after this.

Key People in the Treaty

Musá ibn Nusayr

Musá ibn Nusayr was a Muslim general in North Africa. He led the conquest of Spain. He was known for his great leadership and fighting skills. Musá became governor of North Africa in 698. He quickly expanded his control to West Africa, bringing the Berbers into the Muslim army. In 714, his time leading the Spanish conquests ended. He went to Damascus with many treasures, but the caliph al-Walid did not trust him. Musá died without money around 716.

Tariq ibn Ziyad

Tariq ibn Ziyad was a Berber commander in the Muslim army under Musá ibn Nusayr. He led the first invasion into Spain in 711 with about 7,000 soldiers. The place where he landed was named after him: Gibraltar, which means "Mount of Tariq" in Arabic. He quickly conquered much of southern Spain and took the capital city of Toledo.

'Abd al-'Aziz

‘Abd al-‘Aziz was the son of Musá. He led two military operations in Spain. One went west towards Huelva. The other went east, where he made the Treaty of Tudmir in Murcia.

al-Walid

Al-Walid was the Umayyad Caliph when the first conquests happened in Spain. He played a role in the events that led to the Treaty of Tudmir. Al-Walid's time as caliph was very successful. He built many grand projects in the capital city of Damascus. Under his rule, the areas of Carthage and Maghrib in North Africa were finally brought under control. Al-Walid appointed Musá ibn Nusayr as governor of these regions. From there, the focus shifted to conquering Spain. After Spain was conquered, the treasures from the campaign went to al-Walid. It was under al-Walid's command that ‘Abd al-‘Aziz made the Treaty of Tudmir with Theodemir.

Theodemir (Tudmir)

Theodemir was a Christian Visigoth prince who ruled the region of Murcia. The Treaty of Tudmir was signed between Theodemir and ‘Abd al-‘Aziz.

The Treaty Agreement

The actual treaty document started with a religious opening: "In the name of God, the merciful and compassionate."

It was a document from ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Musá ibn Nusair to Theodemir (Tudmir). It promised peace and protection from God and his Prophet.

The agreement stated:

‘Abd al-‘Aziz would not set special rules for Theodemir or his men.
They would not be bothered or removed from power.
Theodemir's followers would not be killed or taken prisoner.
Families would not be separated.
They would not be forced to change their religion.
Their churches would not be burned.
Sacred objects would not be taken from their land.

These promises were valid as long as Theodemir remained loyal and followed the conditions set for him.

The treaty covered seven towns: Orihuela, Villena, Alicante, Mula, Bigastro, Ello, and Lorca.

The conditions for Theodemir and his people were:

They could not hide people running away from the Muslims.
They could not help Muslim enemies.
They could not make anyone protected by the Muslims fear them.
They had to share any news about Muslim enemies.
Each man had to pay one gold coin (dinar) every year.
They also had to pay four measures of wheat, four measures of barley, four measures of fruit juice, four measures of vinegar, four measures of honey, and four measures of olive oil.
Slaves had to pay half of this amount.

The document was signed by four witnesses and dated from April 713.

Treaty of Orihuela facts for kids

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