6_Glorious_Epochs_of_Indian_History

146 SIX GLORIOUS EPOCHS OF INDIAN HISTORY
for more or less 300 years assumes a greater historical
significance. The same holds good with regard to the other
intervening periods*
359» One cannot say justifiably that the Muslim vigour
or their ambition to conquer the world was on the wane.
On the contrary, these both were at their full height during
this period. During this very period of three hundred years
these very Arabs had overrun and vanquished nation after
nation*® right from Baghdad to the Mediterranean sea and
thence along the north African coast straight to Gibraiter,
whence they subjugated Portugal and Spain and knocked at
the gates of southern Prance. The name Gibraiter itself
testifies to the unrivalled Muslim conquest of the west. Job-
al-Tarik, which means the straits conquered by the Muslim
Commander Tarik, is tbe root of the modern corrupt form
'Gibraiter'".
359-A. At last in A.D. 732 the valiant King of France,
Charles Martel, gave a mortal blow to the Muslim aggression
and repelled them for ever*'. It is this monumental triumph
of Charles Martel that saved the whole of Europe ! In their
triumphant march the Muslims not only subdued the
kingdoms in Western Asia and Northern Africa politically,
but with the sharp edge of their sword they also forced them
all to embrace Islam*'. Even Portugal and Spain were
forcibly converted to Islamic faith. Their womenfolk, too,
were abducted and violently defiled®'. But both these
nations freed themselves from the Muslim yoke some centuries
afterwards. How they did so, will be described a little later.
Still the fact remains that the nations on the north coast of
Africa are even today Muslims.
360. Well, it is not that during the years A.D. 700 to
1000 the Muslims did not try to march out of Sindh and
attack the neighbouring Hindu States, with the same devilish
bigotry. They did try to force themselves on through
Sourashtra and Gandhar many times'^. But every time they
were routed by the Hindus.
361. At that time from the eastern boundary of Sindh