Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

Western Viceroyalty
The Muslim arms on’ the western front in north Africa and the Iberian Peninsula (al-Andalus) were equally successful. Musa Ibn
Wahd Bin Abdul Malik
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Nusair, a Yamani by origin, was appointed governor of North Africa by Abdul Aziz, the viceroy of Egypt in 89 A.H./708 A.H. His father together with the grand-father of Prophet’s biographer, Ibn Ishaq, it is said, had been brought as captive by Khalid Ibn Walid from ’Ayn alTamar, north west of Kufah. Under Musa the province of Ifriqiyah became independent of Egypt. Consolidating his power in the already conquered territories he pushed the conquests to the farthest west with the aid of his two sons, in two engagements at Tlemcen (Tilimsan) and Sus the Berbers were worsted and a large number of them were taken captive and territories upto Tangier were brought under the fold of the new province of Ifriqiyah. Musa appointed his freedman Tariq b. Ziyad as his lieutenant at Tangier and sent naval expeditions to Majorca and Sardinia in 92 A.H./711 A.D.2 Conquest of Spain
About this time anarchy spread in Spain which was under the rule of the Visigoths. The Jews were persecuted. Serfs and slaves were deprived of their social and economic status. The cleavage between the Visigoths (West Goths), who entered Spain in early fifth century as rulers and the Spanish Roman population was still not obliterated. They ^Iso had to struggle against their predecessors, other Germanic races, the Suevi and Vandals, for power. Witiza’s son, Achila, was deposed and the throne was usurped by a Gothic noble, Roderick, to whom Count Julian, the son-in-law of Witiza and governor of Spanish possessions in North-west Africa with Ceuta as their capital where the strait is only eighteen miles wide, was bitterly opposed. Julian entered into friendly relations with Musa and induced him to oust the usurper. In Shawwal 91/July 710 Musa sent his slave Tarif with four hundred foot and one hundred horse in four ships to reconnoiter and find out the truth of the statements of Julian and Spanish refugees. Tarif landed safely on the west southern coast of Spain which is still known as Tarifah (Jazirat-al Tarif) and on return reported in favour of an attack on Spain.
Thus encouraged by Tarif s success and dynastic and social trouble in the Visigothic Spain Musa sent Tariq Ibn Ziyad in the following year at the head of 7,000 men mainly Berbers and freedmen to launch an attack on Spain. He landed at a mount near the southern costs of Spain which became known as Gibraltar (Jabal al-Tariq the hill of Tariq) and ravaged Algeciras. He received a
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Political and Cultural Histon/ of Islam
reinforcement of about 5,000 Arabs. Apprised of Tariq’s landing. Roderick hastend from the north where he had gone to suppress a rebellion with a large army consisting of 25,000 soldiers and the engagements took place on the banks of the Wadi Bakkah or Lakkah (Rio Barbate Corrupted into Guadilbeca)’ and the shores of Laguna de janda to the north of Medina Sidonia on 25th July 711. Witiza’s brother. Bishop opposed and his son, Achila, discontented as they were, joined Roderick’s force onlv to give wa> after seven days strife the hope that the Muslims after collecting booty would recross the straits while they would remain behind to reap the fruits of the disaster to Roderick on the battle-field.
The discontented and demoralized Spanish force \\as utterly routed and Roderick, in his attempt to escape, was drowned. Tariq had not expected such a great victory. He informed Musa of the result of his invasion and, without waiting for his instruction, pushed his conquest on further because even slightly delay would have given time to the defeated Visigoths to reunite and organize further united resistance possibly with more vigour. Tariq, to the utter surprise of the political enemies of Roderick, instead of amassing boot} and returning to Ifriqiyah, began to conquer city after city.
This defeat demoralized the Spaniards so much that never again did the} give any stiff resistance to the Muslims in the open field Their town .also, they defended half-heartedly. Lcija was stormed; Malaga and Elivra (Granada) were captured bv Tariq’s detachments and Cordova \\as besieged b> another column under Mughith al Rumi \\hile fariq himself with the bulk of the army marched through Ecija on Roderick’s capital, Toledo, which v\as found deserted by Christian chiefs as the} had gone to take refuge in the north some across the Pyrenees in France.
Among the rich booties gained weie the famous table of Solomon having 360 feet and richly decorated with pearls and rubies. Thus within a few months, Tariq destroyed the Visigothic rule and occupied half of Spain. Tempted b> the splendid exploits of his lieutenant. Tariq, Musa landed in Spain at the head of 10.000 troops mainly the Arabs and Syrians in Rajab 93/June 712 and guided by Julian, who had meanwhile returned to North Africa with the news of victory, stormed successive!) Sidonia. Carmona and Seville, the cities which had not been conquered by Taiiq’s detachments. The