Al Andalus (Islamic Spain) (Part 4)

MOOSA BIN NUSAIR

(712-714 AD)

Moosa bin Nusair was born in 640 AD in Syria. Caliph Abdul Malik Bin Marwan appointed him as the Governor of Africa. And he was responsible for the large area of expansion in Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula under Umayyad rule.

Before his arrival in the Spain His Deputy TAARIQ bin Ziyad conquered Toledo the capital of Visigoths, Mughiz al Rumi conquered Cordoba and others captured the major cities and castles in Spain.

In middle 712 AD Musa Bin Nusair with 18000 troops landed at the Iberian Peninsula to join the conquests. Count Julian advised him to march towards the remaining cities of Spain. Firstly he conquered Seduna and Carmona then he focused on Seville, which is captured after a long siege. After that he conquered Merida. 

After the victory of Merida Musa Bin Nusair turned his way to Toledo where TAARIQ bin Ziyad welcomed him. Both the great generals meet each other. Now TAARIQ bin Ziyad is under the command of Musa bin Nusair and he was appointed as the commander in chief of the combined army. 

Musa bin Nusair was determined to open roadway towards Damascus the capital of Umayyads via Eastern Constantinople and to connect Spain with Damascus. To attained such an ambitious dream he rearranged his army and moved forward. 

With great determination and hard fights Musa bin Nusair conquered Saragosa, Barcelona, Portugal, Lyon and Narbone at the South of France. With this Muslim armies entered France which alarmed the French rulers and they gathered under the command of Pepin of Herstal. A large army was organized to stop the Muslim invasion at Arbone. At the other hand Muslim armies were almost 1000 miles away from their centre Cordaba and fighting in a hostile land. In this siege they were defeated and pushed back. This was the last point of Muslim army's extension at that time in Northern Spain and Southern France.

Meanwhile Musa bin Nusair asked permission from Caliph Walid bin Abdul Malik to go further and defined his ambitions about connecting Al Andalus to Damascus. But the defeat at Arbone marked a stop and Caliph send Mughiz Al Rumi (Conqueror of Cordaba, who returned to Damascus after winning Cordoba) to stop Musa bin Nusair and called him with TAARIQ bin Ziyad to Damascus as early as possible. 

Mughiz al Rumi reached to Musa Bin Nusair and asked him to go to Damascus. Then to follow the command of Caliph he ordered his armies to go back. Then Musa bin Nusair and TAARIQ bin Ziyad returned to Damascus and NEVER CAME BACK TO AL ANDALUS. 

Caliph Walid bin Abdul Malik welcomed both the great victorious generals at the Damascus the capital city of Umayyad Caliphate. Unfortunately soon Caliph died and his brother Sulaiman bin Abdul Malik made Caliph and he deposed both Musa bin Nusair and TAARIQ bin Ziyad and expelled them due to some personal clashes. Then the history is silent about the last days of these great leaders. But in the History of Muslim world they will be remembered as the greatest generals. 

To be continued...