A Muslim Describes the Conquest of Spain

IBN ABD-EL-HAKEM, The Conquest of Spain (ca. 870)

Ibn Abd-el-Hakem, an Egyptian from a prominent family of legal scholars, wrote his history of the conquest of Spain more than a century after the actual events. As the oldest of such histories written by an Islamic scholar, it was frequently cited by later Muslim historians. The events he describes are a combination of myth and fact. In the following excerpt, he discusses the events that led to the defeat of Roderic, a Visigothic king, by Tarik ibn Ziyad, the Muslim commander who led the conquest of Visigothic Spain. After the conquest, the Muslims in Spain— the land they called al-Andalus — built a kingdom known as a center of culture and the arts that lasted for centuries. As you read the excerpt, consider how distrust and misunderstanding shaped interactions between Muslims and Visigoths.

The governor of the straits between this district [Tangiers] and Andalus was a foreigner called Ilyan, Lord of Septa. He was also the governor of a town called Alchadra, situated on the same side of the straits of Andalus as Tangiers. Ilyan was a subject of Roderic, the Lord of Andalus [i.e., king of Spain], who used to reside in Toledo. Tarik put himself in communication with Ilyan, and treated him kindly, until they made peace with each other. Ilyan had sent one of his daughters to Roderic, the Lord of Andalus, for her improvement and education; but she became pregnant by him. Ilyan having heard of this, said, I see for him no other punishment or recompense, than that I should bring the Arabs against him. He sent to Tarik, saying, I will bring you to Andalus. . . . But Tarik said I cannot trust you until you send me a hostage. So he sent his two daughters, having no other children. Tarik allowed them to remain in Tlemsen, guarding them closely. After that Tarik went to Ilyan who was in Septa on the straits. The latter rejoicing at his coming, said, I will bring you to Andalus. But there was a mountain called the mountain of Tarik between the two landing-places, that is, between Septa and Andalus. When the evening came, Ilyan brought him the vessels, in which he made him embark for that landing-place, where he concealed himself during the day, and in the evening sent back the vessels to bring over the rest of his companions. So they embarked for the landing-place, none of them being left behind: whereas the people of Andalus did not observe them, thinking that the vessels crossing and recrossing were similar to the trading vessels which for their benefit plied backwards and forwards. Tarik was in the last division which went across. He proceeded to his companions, Ilyan together with the merchants that were with him being left behind in Alchadra, in order that he might the better encourage his companions and countrymen. The news of Tarik and of those who were with him, as well as of the place where they were, reached the people of Andalus. Tarik, going along with his companions, marched over a bridge of mountains to a town called Cartagena. . . .

When the Muslims settled [on an island near Andalus], they found no other inhabitants there, than vinedressers.1 They made them prisoners. After that they took one of the vinedressers, slaughtered him, cut him in pieces, and boiled him, while the rest of his companions looked on. They had also boiled meat in other cauldrons. When the meat was cooked, they threw away the flesh of that man which they had boiled; no one knowing that it was thrown away: and they ate the meat which they had boiled, while the rest of the vinedressers were spectators. These did not doubt but that the Muslims ate the flesh of their companion; the rest being afterwards sent away informed the people of Andalus that the Muslims feed on human flesh, acquainting them with what had been done to the vinedresser.

When Tarik landed, soldiers from Cordova came to meet him; and seeing the small number of his companions they despised him on that account. They then fought. The battle with Tarik was severe. They were routed, and he did not cease from the slaughter of them till they reached the town of Cordova. When Roderic heard of this, he came to their rescue from Toledo. . . . They fought a severe battle; but God, mighty and great, killed Roderic and his companions.

From Ibn Abd-el-Hakem, History of the Conquest of Spain, trans. John Harris Jones (Goettingen: Dietrich, 1858), pp. 18–20. Text modernized by Amy R. Caldwell.