The Battle of Guadalete took place July 19,^{[citation needed]} 711, at the Guadalete River (or La Janda lake) in the southern extreme of the Iberian peninsula. It was quite possibly a decisive defeat for the Visigothic king Roderic of Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula, comprising modern Spain and Portugal), who disappeared or fled and was not seen killed, and an important victory for the Muslim forces that defeated him led by Tariq ibn Ziyad. Age of the Caliphs The initial Muslim conquests (632–732), also referred to as the Islamic conquests or Arab conquests,[1] began after the death of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... See also: phone number 711. ... The Guadalete River is a small stream located in the Spanish province of Cádiz, arising in the Grazalema Mountains at an elevation of about 1000 m, and running for 172 km into the Bay of Cádiz at El Puerto de Santa Maria, south of the city of C... Migrations The Visigoths (Western Goths) were one of two main branches of the Goths, an East Germanic tribe (the Ostrogoths being the other). ... The Umayyad Dynasty (Arabic الأمويون / بنو أمية umawiyy; in Turkish, Emevi) was the first dynasty of caliphs of the Prophet Muhammad who were not closely related to Muhammad himself, though they were of the same Meccan tribe, the... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Tariq ibn Ziyad (d. ... The Umayyad conquest of Hispania (711–718) commenced when an army of the Umayyad Caliphate consisting largely of Moors, the Muslim inhabitants of North and West Africa, invaded Visigothic Christian Hispania (Portugal and Spain) in the year 711 CE. Under the authority of the Umayyad caliph at Damascus, and led... Combatants Aquitanians Umayyad Caliphate Commanders Odo of Aquitaine Al-Samh ibn Malik al-Khawlani The Battle of Toulouse (721) was a victory of a Frankish army led by Duke Odo of Aquitaine over an Umayyad army besieging the city of Toulouse, and led by the governor of Al-Andalus, Al... Combatants Kingdom of Asturias Umayyad Caliphate Commanders Pelayo of Asturias Munuza † Alqama † Strength 300[1] 800 Casualties 289 dead 600 dead The Battle of Covadonga was the first major victory by a Christian military force in Iberia following the Muslim Moors conquest of that region in 711. ... Combatants Carolingian Franks Umayyad Caliphate Commanders Charles Martel ‘Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi† Strength Unknown, possibly 20,000 to 30,000 [1] Unknown, but the earliest Muslim sources, still after the era of the battle[2] mention a figure of 80,000. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... See also: phone number 711. ... The Guadalete River is a small stream located in the Spanish province of Cádiz, arising in the Grazalema Mountains at an elevation of about 1000 m, and running for 172 km into the Bay of Cádiz at El Puerto de Santa Maria, south of the city of C... The comarca of La Janda is one of six traditional and touristic subdivisions of the province of Cádiz, Spain. ... The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar. ... Migrations The Visigoths (Western Goths) were one of two main branches of the Goths, an East Germanic tribe (the Ostrogoths being the other). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Iberian Peninsula. ... The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar. ... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... Tariq ibn Ziyad (d. ...

It has been conjectured that most of the prominent members of the Visigothic establishment, including the royal court, were also killed along with the king. This may explain the absolute lack of organized resistance to the invaders after the battle by the Visigothic state. Only scanty remainders of the Visigothic army escaped the massacre and sheltered in Ecija, near Seville. Shortly after, the city was put under siege and it capitulated. The governor of Northern Africa, Musa ibn Nusayr, who had sent Tariq, followed the next year with another army. The Moors proceeded to conquer most of the Iberian peninsula within the next five years. Écija is a city belonging to the province of Seville, Spain. ... For other uses, see Seville (disambiguation). ... Musa bin Nusair (640 - 716) was a Yemeni Muslim governor and general under the Umayyads. ... For other uses, see moor. ...

Pelayo of Asturias, a Visigothic nobleman, escaped the Moors and went on to found the Kingdom of Asturias, resisting Muslim overlordship from the northwest corner of the peninsula. It is not clear whether Pelayo fought at Guadalete; however, most historians believe he was not present. Pelayo is credited with beginning the Reconquista at the Battle of Covadonga. Pelayo (in Spanish), Pelágio (in Portuguese), or Pelagius (in Latin) (690–737) was the founder of the Kingdom of Asturias, ruling from 718 until his death. ... Flag Motto: Hoc Signo Tuetur Pius, Hoc Signo Vincitur Inimicus (English: With this sign thou shalt defend the pious, with this sign thou shalt defeat the enemy) Capital Cangas de Onis, San Martín, Pravia, Oviedo Language(s) Asturian, Latin Religion Roman Catholicism Government Monarchy King  - 718-737 Pelayo of... For other senses of this word, see Reconquista (disambiguation). ... Combatants Kingdom of Asturias Umayyad Caliphate Commanders Pelayo of Asturias Munuza † Alqama † Strength 300[1] 800 Casualties 289 dead 600 dead The Battle of Covadonga was the first major victory by a Christian military force in Iberia following the Muslim Moors conquest of that region in 711. ...

Troop numbers

History has it that there was a ratio of 10 Visigoths to 1 Moor in this battle. The Visigoths had few sources at the time but they tell us that Visigoths had about an army of 100,000 men. In the succeeding years as the Moors conquered much of the Iberian peninsula. Muslim sources suggest numbers of between 7,000 - 12,000 soldiers. Also note, later Muslim sources give numbers close to 80,000 troops participating in the invasion of France at the Battle of Tours in 732.

See also

• Collins, Roger, Early Medieval Spain. Unity and Diversity (400-1000), The McMillan Ltd, London, 1983.
• Martin, Laiy, Arab Conquests, Penguin Books, New York, 1933

External links

• Tarik's Address to His Soldiers, 711 CE, from The Breath of Perfumes

This article about a battle in Spanish history is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.