Christianity and Islam in Spain | Page 9

Gaul were added to the Saracen empire. But the Arabs made
the fatal mistake[1] of leaving a remnant of their enemies unconquered
in the mountains of Asturia, and hardly had the wave of conquest swept
over the country, than it began slowly but surely to recede. The year
733 witnessed the high-water mark of Arab extension in the West, and
Christian Gaul was never afterwards seriously threatened with the
calamity of a Mohammedan domination.
The period of forty-five years which elapsed between the conquest and
the establishment of the Khalifate of Cordova was a period of disorder,
almost amounting to anarchy, throughout Spain. This state of things
was one eminently favourable to the growth and consolidation of the
infant state which was arising among the mountains of the Northwest.
In that corner of the land, which alone[2] was not polluted by the
presence of Moslem masters, were gathered all those proud spirits who
could not brook subjection and valued freedom above all earthly
possessions.[3] Here all the various nationalities that had from time to
time borne rule in Spain,
"Punic and Roman Kelt and Goth and Greek," [4]
all the various classes, nobles, freemen, and slaves, were gradually
welded by the strong pressure of a common calamity into one compact
and homogeneous whole.[5] Meanwhile what was the condition of
those Christians who preferred to live in their own homes, but under
the Moslem yoke? It must be confessed that they might have fared
much worse; and the conciliatory policy pursued by the Arabs no doubt
contributed largely to the facility of the conquest. The first conqueror,
Tarik ibn Zeyad, was a man of remarkable generosity and clemency,
and his conduct fully justified the proud boast which he uttered when
arraigned on false charges before the Sultan Suleiman.[6] "Ask the true
believers," he said, "ask also the Christians, what the conduct of Tarik
has been in Africa and in Spain. Let them say if they have ever found
him cowardly, covetous, or cruel."
[1] Al Makkari, ii. 34.

[2] According to Sebastian of Salamanca, the Moors had never been
admitted into any town of Biscay before 870.
[3] Prescott, "Ferdinand and Isabella," seems to think that only the
lower orders remained under the Moors. Yet in a note he mentions a
remark of Zurita's to the contrary (page 3).
[4] Southey, "Roderick," Canto IV.
[5] Thierry, "Dix Ans d'Études Historiques," p. 346. "Reserrés dans ce
coin de terre, devenu pour eux toute la patrie, Goths et Romains,
vainqueurs et vaincus, étrangers et indigènes, maîtres et esclaves, tous
unis dans le même malheur ... furent égaux dans cet exil." Yet there
were revolts in every reign. Fruela I. (757-768), revolt of Biscay and
Galicia: Aurelio (768-774), revolt of slaves and freedmen, see "Chron.
Albeld.," vi. sec. 4, and Rodrigo, iii. c. 5, in pristinam servitutem
redacti sunt: Silo (774-783), Galician revolt: also revolts in reigns of
Alfonso I., Ramiro I. See Prescott, "Ferd. and Isab.," p. 4.
[6] Or his predecessor, Welid, for the point is not determined.
The terms granted to such towns as surrendered generally contained the
following provisions: that the citizens should give up all their horses
and arms; that they might, if they chose, depart, leaving their property;
that those who remained should, on payment of a small tribute, be
permitted to follow their own religion, for which purposes certain
churches were to be left standing; that they should have their own
judges, and enjoy (within limits) their own laws. In some cases the
riches of the churches were also surrendered, as at Merida,[1] and
hostages given. But conditions even better than these were obtained
from Abdulaziz, son of Musa, by Theodomir in Murcia. The original
document has been preserved by the Arab historians, and is well
worthy of transcription:
"In the name of God the Clement and Merciful! Abdulaziz and Tadmir
make this treaty of peace--may God confirm and protect it! Tadmir
shall retain the command over his own people, but over no other people
among those of his faith. There shall be no wars between his subjects

and those of the Arabs, nor shall the children or women of his people
be led captive. They shall not be disturbed in the exercise of their
religion: their churches shall not be burnt, nor shall any services be
demanded from them, or obligations be laid upon them--those
expressed in this treaty alone excepted.... Tadmir shall not receive our
enemies, nor fail in fidelity to us, and he shall not conceal whatever
hostile purposes he may know to exist against us. His nobles and
himself shall pay a tribute of a dinar[2] each year, with four measures
of wheat and four of barley; of mead, vinegar, honey, and oil each four
measures. All the vassals of Tadmir, and every man subject