Tariq_ibn-ziyad

Tariq ibn Ziyad or Taric bin Zeyad (Arabic: طارق بن زياد‎, d. 720), known in Spanish history and legend as Taric el Tuerto (Taric the one-eyed), was a Berber Muslim and Umayyad general who led the conquest of Visigothic Hispania in 711 under the orders of the Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I. According to the historian Ibn Khaldoun, Tariq Ibn Ziyad was from the Berber tribe of Nefzaoua, a particular branch of the Oulhasas, which live to this day on the banks of Oued Tafna, in modern day Algeria.

Tariq ibn Ziyad is considered to be one of the most important military commanders in Iberian history. He was initially the deputy of Musa ibn Nusair in North Africa, and was sent by his superior to launch the first thrust of a conquest of the Iberian peninsula (comprising modern Spain and Portugal). Some claim that he was invited to intervene by the heirs of the Visigothic King, Wittiza, in the Visigothic civil war.

On April 29, 711, the armies of Tariq landed at Gibraltar (the name Gibraltar is derived from the Arabic name Jabal Tariq, which means mountain of Tariq, or the more obvious Gibr Tariq, meaning rock of Tariq).

The 17th century Muslim historian Al Maggari wrote that upon landing, Tariq is said to have burned his ships then made the following speech, well-known in the Muslim world, to his soldiers:

أيّها الناس، أين المفر؟ البحر من ورائكم، والعدوّ أمامكم، وليس لكم والله إلا الصدق والصبر...

O People ! Where can you flee? The sea is behind you, and the enemy in front of you: There is nothing for you, by God, except for truth and strength of character. (as recounted by al-Maqqari in the year 1628 AD).

The Moorish armies swept through Hispania and, in the summer of 711, won a decisive victory when the Visigothic king, Roderic, was defeated and killed on July 19th at the Battle of Guadalete. Afterwards, Tariq was made governor of Hispania but eventually was called back to Damascus by the Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I.

Ship burning

Western histories claim Tariq ordered his soldiers to burn their boats as soon as they had reached Iberia. Tariq had only 12,000 soldiers whereas the enemies had 100,000 soldiers lined up ready for war. Tariq won. Chinese general Xiang Yu did the same thing to show his soldiers that they have no other options but to win almost a millennium earlier, in 208 BC , as did Hernan Cortés later in the 16th century when he landed in Mexico to conquer the Mexica. Similarly, Tariq\'s policy was either to conquer the enemy or to die in honor. This led to the Battle of Guadalete 711 CE.

Tariq\'s Address to His Soldiers, 711 CE

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Tariq\'s Address to his Troops

Another more detailed account proposed by 17th century Islamic historian Al Maggari in 1628 AD of the alleged speech of Tariq is contained in his work "The breath of perfumes" as follows: When Tariq had been informed of the approach of the enemy, he rose in the midst of his companions and, after having glorified God in the highest, he gave his speech.

See also

• List of military commanders
• Umayyad conquest of Hispania
• Timeline of the Muslim presence in the Iberian peninsula
• Al-Andalus
• Moors
• Musa ibn Nusair
• Tarif ibn Malluk

External links

• Tarik\'s Address to His Soldiers, 711 CE, from The Breath of Perfumes
• Ibn Abd-el-Hakem, Medieval Sourcebook: The Islamic Conquest of Spain
• Edward Gibbon, History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Chapter 51
• Article: Tariq ibnu zeyad in tha mazight(Berber: Rif)

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