While the Battle of Tours in 732 is seen as a pivotal moment in halting the Muslim expansion into Western Europe, it actually may be overshadowed in importance by the earlier Battle of Toulouse in 721.
According to historian Ian Meadows, after the swift conquest of Iberia into the Umayyad Caliphate, the Muslims set their sights north of the Pyrenees. Al-Samh ibn Malik, Governor-General of Al-Andalus, raised an Arab-Berber army to conquer the region of Aquitaine, ruled by Duke Eudes. Eudes, sensing the impending danger, fled the city of Toulouse to seek aid from the rest of his Duchy for defense. He even appealed to Charles Martel, Mayor of the Palace in the Frankish Kingdom, for aid, but Charles refused. Al-Samh’s army saw success besieging the walls of Toulouse, and Toulouse came close to surrending. However, Eudes returned with an army of his own, and hurled himself at Al-Samh’s rear. The result was a devastating defeat for the Muslims, who retreated to Narbonne, Al-Samh himself badly wounded and dying shortly after. The Muslims would never make another serious attempt to take Aquitaine (barring Tours, which was more of a raid and not an actual invasion).
What if the Muslims had taken Toulouse? Part of what made Eudes’ attack so successful is that Al-Samh concentrated his entire forces entirely on besieging the city, leaving him exposed to attack. He also had very few horsemen who could counter Eudes’ army. Perhaps Al-Samh is not surprised by Eudes, and is able to fight him off and finish the siege. Or maybe Eudes never reaches Toulouse in time to relieve it. With Toulouse captured, Al-Samh could conquer the rest of Aquitaine, and establish Umayyad control over the region through treaties and alliances with local Christians as he had in Septimania. If this rule holds, Islam could spread into Aquitaine. With Aquitaine subjugated, would the Muslims continue onwards into the rest of Southern France, perhaps raiding/conquering Provence next? Could they establish a stable base of operations in the South of France, and defend it from future Frankish attacks (especially from Charles Martel)? And even if Muslim control over Aquitaine is only temporary, could it help consolidate Al-Andalus by cutting Asturias off from the rest of Christian Europe?
According to historian Ian Meadows, after the swift conquest of Iberia into the Umayyad Caliphate, the Muslims set their sights north of the Pyrenees. Al-Samh ibn Malik, Governor-General of Al-Andalus, raised an Arab-Berber army to conquer the region of Aquitaine, ruled by Duke Eudes. Eudes, sensing the impending danger, fled the city of Toulouse to seek aid from the rest of his Duchy for defense. He even appealed to Charles Martel, Mayor of the Palace in the Frankish Kingdom, for aid, but Charles refused. Al-Samh’s army saw success besieging the walls of Toulouse, and Toulouse came close to surrending. However, Eudes returned with an army of his own, and hurled himself at Al-Samh’s rear. The result was a devastating defeat for the Muslims, who retreated to Narbonne, Al-Samh himself badly wounded and dying shortly after. The Muslims would never make another serious attempt to take Aquitaine (barring Tours, which was more of a raid and not an actual invasion).
What if the Muslims had taken Toulouse? Part of what made Eudes’ attack so successful is that Al-Samh concentrated his entire forces entirely on besieging the city, leaving him exposed to attack. He also had very few horsemen who could counter Eudes’ army. Perhaps Al-Samh is not surprised by Eudes, and is able to fight him off and finish the siege. Or maybe Eudes never reaches Toulouse in time to relieve it. With Toulouse captured, Al-Samh could conquer the rest of Aquitaine, and establish Umayyad control over the region through treaties and alliances with local Christians as he had in Septimania. If this rule holds, Islam could spread into Aquitaine. With Aquitaine subjugated, would the Muslims continue onwards into the rest of Southern France, perhaps raiding/conquering Provence next? Could they establish a stable base of operations in the South of France, and defend it from future Frankish attacks (especially from Charles Martel)? And even if Muslim control over Aquitaine is only temporary, could it help consolidate Al-Andalus by cutting Asturias off from the rest of Christian Europe?
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