Al-Andalus · 711
Battle of Guadalete
Tariq crossed from Morocco at the rock that still bears his name, Gibraltar (Jabal Tariq). Roderic was killed, and most of Spain fell within a few years.
Key facts
- When
- 711
- Where
- Near Cadiz, Spain
- Sides
- Umayyad army vs Visigothic Kingdom
- Commanders
- Tariq ibn Ziyad vs King Roderic
- Result
- Decisive Muslim victory
- Type
- Al-Andalus
- Chapter
- 4. Al-Andalus and the Subcontinent
Who led it
- Tariq ibn Ziyaddied c. 720
A Berber commander who crossed into Spain in 711 at the rock still named after him, Gibraltar.
The wider picture: The Umayyads of Damascus
Muawiya ruled from Damascus and named his son Yazid as heir, the first time the caliphate passed from father to son. Karbala followed in 680. Then came the largest expansion in Islamic history: Spain in 711, Sindh in 712 and Central Asia up to the Syr Darya.
More al-andalus battles
Spotted a mistake on this page? Tell us