At the Pass of Roncesvalles, Basque tribes defeat Roland, the commander of Charlemagne’s rear-guard troops. The army is returning across the Pyrenees to Frankish territory after attacking Barcelona and Pamplona in northern Spain. Centuries later, the French epic poem, “The Song of Roland,” reimagines this minor battle between two Christian…
Abd al-Rahman Crosses To Spain
Abd al-Rahman crosses to Spain with his entourage and gains control of Córdoba, where he is proclaimed an amir (ruler) who is independent from the Abbasid caliphate. Abd al-Rahman carries on a more inclusive Umayyad tradition in the westernmost portion of Muslim lands, presiding over the birth of a new…
Abbasid Family Takes Control
Supported by opponents of Arab-centric Umayyad policies, the Abbasid family takes control of the caliphate and establishes a new capital at Baghdad in 762. A young Umayyad prince named Abd al-Rahman survives the Abbasid overthrow and seeks refuge among his mother’s Berber tribe in North Africa.
Amazighs Become Disaffected
The Amazighs (Berbers) — converts to Islam and participants in the conquests — become disaffected by Umayyad privileges and begin several revolts against the authorities. The caliph in Damascus sends new Syrian Arab troops to North Africa and Spain to subdue the uprisings.