TARIQ IBN ZIYAD ( The Great Warior)

Tariq Ibn Ziyad was a great Muslim general born in 670 AD and died in 720 in Damascus. Tariq led the Islamic conquest of Hispania in 711 A.D. He is considered to be one of the most important military commanders in Muslim history. Under the orders of the Umayyad Khalifha Al-Walid he led a large army from the north coast of Morocco, joining his troops at a large hill now known as Gibraltar. The name “Gibraltar” is the Spanish derivation of the Arabic name Jabal al Tariq meaning “mountain of Tariq”, named after him.

Most historians give little or no information about Tariq’s origins or nationality. Even there are several different notions’ but most of historian and modern workers accept a Berber origin. Most historians, Arab and Spanish, seem to agree that he was a slave of the Amir of (North Africa), Musa bin Nusayr, who gave him his freedom and appointed him a general in his army.

            One of Main reason of Spain attack that as was the custom of Spain, a generals and dignities send his children to the court of king to receive better education. Governor of Ceuta count Julian had, as the custom, sent his daughter named Florenda to the court of the king  Roderic to receive an education. . It is said that Roderic raped her, and that Julian was so angry that he determined to withdraw Roderic from kingdom, for that reason he invite to   Arabs to bring down the Visigothic kingdom. Accordingly he invite to Tariq for attack on the kingdom of Roderic, Tariq referred to Musa bin Nusayr for further information.  Musa bin Nusayr then informed the Umayyad Khalifha Walid for current situation and for decisive  approval. After treaty between Julian and Tariq ibn Ziyad (Musa bin Nusayr having returned to secretly convey the Muslim army across the Straits of Gibraltar, as he owned a number of merchant ships and had his own forts on the Spanish mainland.

About April 711 AD, the army of Tariq, composed of recent converts to Islam, was landed at Gibraltar.Tariq’s army contained about 7000 men, and later Musa is have sent an additional 5000 reinforcements. Roderic, to meet the threat, assembled an army said to number 100,000. Most of the army was commanded by, and loyal to, the sons of Wittiza, whom Roderic had cruelly removed. Tariq won a decisive victory when the Visigothic king, Roderic, was defeated and killed on July 19, 711 AD. After he burnt his own boats, taking away any route to escape for his army, burning of the boats, was a proficient strategy that won him the devotion, commitment and courage of his army, who could face enemies twenty times bigger. When Tariq had been informed of the approach of the enemy, he rose in the middle of his companions and spoke with courage to his soldiers.

“My warriors, whither would you run away? Behind you is the sea, before you, the enemy. You have left now only the hope of your courage and your loyalty. Remember that in this country you are more unfortunate than the orphan seated at the table of the greedy master. Your enemy is before you, protected by a countless army; he has men in richness, but vou, as your only aid, have your own swords, and, as your only chance for life, such chance as you can snatch from the hands of your enemy. If the absolute want to which you are reduced is prolonged ever so little, if you delay to seize immediate success, your good fortune will disappear, and your enemies, whom your very presence has filled with fear, will take courage. Put far from you the disgrace from which you flee in dreams, and attack this ruler who has left his strongly fortified city to meet you. Here is a wonderful opportunity to defeat him, if you will consent to expose yourselves freely to death. Do not believe that I desire to incite you to face dangers which I shall refuse to share with you. In the attack I myself will be in the fore, where the chance of life is always least.

Remember that if you suffer a few moments in patience, you will afterward enjoy supreme pleasure. Do not imagine that your fate can be separated from mine, and rest assured that if you fall, I shall die with you, or avenge you. You have heard that in this country there are a large number of delightfully beautiful Greek girls, their graceful forms are wrapped in luxurious dresses on which shine pearls, coral, and purest gold, and they live in the palaces of royal kings. The Commander of True Believers, walid, son of Abdul Malik, has chosen you for this attack from among all his Arab warriors; and he promises that you shall become his companions and shall hold the rank of kings in this country. Such is his confidence in your intrepidity. The one fruit which he desires to obtain from your bravery is that the word of God shall be exalted in this country, and that the true religion shall be established here. The spoils will belong to yourselves.

Remember that I place myself in the front of this glorious charge which I urge you to make. At the moment when the two armies meet hand to hand, you will see me, never doubt it, seeking out this Roderick, tyrant of his people, challenging him to combat, if God is willing. If I die after this, I will have had at least the satisfaction of delivering you, and you will easily find among you an experienced hero, to whom you can confidently give the task of directing you. But should I fall before I reach to Roderick, redouble your enthusiasm, force yourselves to the attack and achieve the conquest of this country, in depriving him of life. With him dead, his soldiers will no longer challenge you.

This speech was a historic speech of Tariq ibn ziyad which convinced his army with courage and enthusiasm and they attack on opponent in such a way that no one can stand in front of his bravery.

 Then on the advice of Julian Tariq split his army into various divisions which went on to capture Cordoba, Granada and other places, while he remained at the head of the division which captured Toledo and Guadalajara. Tariq was independent governor of Hispania until the arrival of Musa bin Nusayr one year later. After that Both Tariq ibn Ziyad and Musa bin Nusayr were simultaneously ordered back to Damascus by the Umayyad Khalifha Al-Walid I in 714, where they spent the rest of their lives.