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Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd Allah al-Ghafiqi
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Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd Allah al-Ghafiqi
Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd Allah Al-Ghafiqi (Arabic: عبد الرحمن بن عبد اللّه الغافقي, romanized: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Ghāfiqī; died 732), was an Arab Umayyad commander and governor who led Andalusian Muslim forces against the Franks. He is most famous for leading the Muslim forces during the Battle of Tours (also known as the Battle of Poitiers) in 732. This battle, fought against the Frankish forces led by Charles Martel, was a significant moment in European history as it marked the halting of the Muslim expansion into Western Europe.
Al-Ghafiqi was appointed as the governor of al-Andalus around 730 and led several successful military campaigns across the Pyrenees into Frankish territories where he was successful in sacking and capturing the city of Bordeaux, after defeating Duke Odo of Aquitaine in the battle outside the city, and then again defeating a second army of Duke Odo at the Battle of the River Garonne —where the western chroniclers state, "God alone knows the number of the slain. His army advanced deep into modern-day France before being confronted by Charles Martel's forces near the city of Tours. Al-Ghafiqi was killed in the battle, the Muslim forces retreated, and this event is often seen as a pivotal moment that preserved Christian rule in Western Europe.
Despite his defeat at Tours, al-Ghafiqi is remembered as a capable and ambitious military leader within the early history of Islamic expansion in Europe.
From the Arab Tihamite tribe of Ghafiq, he relocated to Ifriqiya (now Tunisia), then to the stretch of the Maghreb that is now Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania, where he became acquainted with Musa ibn Nusayr and his son Abd al-Aziz, the governors of al-Andalus.
Abd Al-Rahman took part in the Battle of Toulouse, where Al Samh ibn Malik was killed in 721 (102 AH) by the forces of Duke Odo of Aquitaine. After the severe defeat, he fled south along with other commanders and troops, and took over the command of Eastern Andalus. He was briefly relieved of his command, when Anbasa ibn Suhaym al-Kalbi was appointed in 721. After Anbasa died in 726 in southern Gaul, several successive commanders were put in place, none of whom lasted very long.
In 730, the Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik appointed Abd Al-Rahman as wali (governor) of al-Andalus. David Levering Lewis describes him as "intelligent, eloquent, and an accomplished administrator". On hearing that Uthman ibn Naissa, the Berber deputy governor of Catalunya, had concluded an alliance with duke Odo of Aquitaine, in order to set up an independent Catalunya for himself, the governor hurried to quell the rebellion. He engaged the Berber lord's forces and killed him in 731. By some accounts, Uthman ibn Naissa killed himself.
The wali assembled troops in Pamplona, called for recruits from Yemen and the Levant, and prepared to cross the Pyrenees into Gaul.[dubious – discuss] Many arrived, and he crossed the Pyrenees range with an army composed primarily of Arabs. Emir Abd Al-Rahman made his way through Gascony and Aquitaine, according to one unidentified Arab, "That army went through all places like a desolating storm,"[citation needed] sacking and capturing the city of Bordeaux, after defeating Duke Odo of Aquitaine in battle outside the city, and then again defeating a second army of Duke Odo at the Battle of the River Garonne —where the western chroniclers state, "God alone knows the number of the slain." Unlike Toulouse, where Odo had won by achieving complete surprise over the Muslim forces when he relieved the city in 721, this time his forces were forced to face the Muslim cavalry in open battle and were utterly destroyed. Also, the Muslim forces he had faced at the Battle of Toulouse were primarily light infantry and, while good fighters, were not remotely close to the caliber of the Arab cavalry brought by the Emir in this invasion.
Odo, with his remaining nobility, fled to Charles Martel, seeking help. Charles was campaigning on the Danube when news reached him. Martel had a seasoned professional infantry which had campaigned with him for many years and force-marched his army towards Acquitaine. In addition to the levies of militia the Franks normally called up to buttress their forces, he formed an army of Gauls and Germans approximately 30,000 strong. The invading forces, having no reason to believe the Franks were anything more than one of the various barbarian tribes that had ravaged Europe after Rome's fall, failed to scout their strength in advance. They also misjudged Charles Martel, who was determined to prevent the expansion of the Caliphate over the Pyrenees into the heart of Christian Europe.[citation needed] This was a disastrous mistake which led to the defeat of Abd Al-Rahman in 732 near Poitiers, south of the river Loire.
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Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd Allah al-Ghafiqi
Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd Allah Al-Ghafiqi (Arabic: عبد الرحمن بن عبد اللّه الغافقي, romanized: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Ghāfiqī; died 732), was an Arab Umayyad commander and governor who led Andalusian Muslim forces against the Franks. He is most famous for leading the Muslim forces during the Battle of Tours (also known as the Battle of Poitiers) in 732. This battle, fought against the Frankish forces led by Charles Martel, was a significant moment in European history as it marked the halting of the Muslim expansion into Western Europe.
Al-Ghafiqi was appointed as the governor of al-Andalus around 730 and led several successful military campaigns across the Pyrenees into Frankish territories where he was successful in sacking and capturing the city of Bordeaux, after defeating Duke Odo of Aquitaine in the battle outside the city, and then again defeating a second army of Duke Odo at the Battle of the River Garonne —where the western chroniclers state, "God alone knows the number of the slain. His army advanced deep into modern-day France before being confronted by Charles Martel's forces near the city of Tours. Al-Ghafiqi was killed in the battle, the Muslim forces retreated, and this event is often seen as a pivotal moment that preserved Christian rule in Western Europe.
Despite his defeat at Tours, al-Ghafiqi is remembered as a capable and ambitious military leader within the early history of Islamic expansion in Europe.
From the Arab Tihamite tribe of Ghafiq, he relocated to Ifriqiya (now Tunisia), then to the stretch of the Maghreb that is now Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania, where he became acquainted with Musa ibn Nusayr and his son Abd al-Aziz, the governors of al-Andalus.
Abd Al-Rahman took part in the Battle of Toulouse, where Al Samh ibn Malik was killed in 721 (102 AH) by the forces of Duke Odo of Aquitaine. After the severe defeat, he fled south along with other commanders and troops, and took over the command of Eastern Andalus. He was briefly relieved of his command, when Anbasa ibn Suhaym al-Kalbi was appointed in 721. After Anbasa died in 726 in southern Gaul, several successive commanders were put in place, none of whom lasted very long.
In 730, the Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik appointed Abd Al-Rahman as wali (governor) of al-Andalus. David Levering Lewis describes him as "intelligent, eloquent, and an accomplished administrator". On hearing that Uthman ibn Naissa, the Berber deputy governor of Catalunya, had concluded an alliance with duke Odo of Aquitaine, in order to set up an independent Catalunya for himself, the governor hurried to quell the rebellion. He engaged the Berber lord's forces and killed him in 731. By some accounts, Uthman ibn Naissa killed himself.
The wali assembled troops in Pamplona, called for recruits from Yemen and the Levant, and prepared to cross the Pyrenees into Gaul.[dubious – discuss] Many arrived, and he crossed the Pyrenees range with an army composed primarily of Arabs. Emir Abd Al-Rahman made his way through Gascony and Aquitaine, according to one unidentified Arab, "That army went through all places like a desolating storm,"[citation needed] sacking and capturing the city of Bordeaux, after defeating Duke Odo of Aquitaine in battle outside the city, and then again defeating a second army of Duke Odo at the Battle of the River Garonne —where the western chroniclers state, "God alone knows the number of the slain." Unlike Toulouse, where Odo had won by achieving complete surprise over the Muslim forces when he relieved the city in 721, this time his forces were forced to face the Muslim cavalry in open battle and were utterly destroyed. Also, the Muslim forces he had faced at the Battle of Toulouse were primarily light infantry and, while good fighters, were not remotely close to the caliber of the Arab cavalry brought by the Emir in this invasion.
Odo, with his remaining nobility, fled to Charles Martel, seeking help. Charles was campaigning on the Danube when news reached him. Martel had a seasoned professional infantry which had campaigned with him for many years and force-marched his army towards Acquitaine. In addition to the levies of militia the Franks normally called up to buttress their forces, he formed an army of Gauls and Germans approximately 30,000 strong. The invading forces, having no reason to believe the Franks were anything more than one of the various barbarian tribes that had ravaged Europe after Rome's fall, failed to scout their strength in advance. They also misjudged Charles Martel, who was determined to prevent the expansion of the Caliphate over the Pyrenees into the heart of Christian Europe.[citation needed] This was a disastrous mistake which led to the defeat of Abd Al-Rahman in 732 near Poitiers, south of the river Loire.