History of Islam Vol 3 of 3 by Akbar Shah Najeebabadi

cj^nbe^re the Muslims
fi
40
rfere
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luxuries and whatever they desired. No one had the courage to
with their evil acts. The verdicts and decrees issued by the
s made the most respectable of people bow down. Each of the
hops possessed one or two hundred slaves and an injunction issued
bv abishophad no appeal to any higher body whatsoever. Gothic rule
had its capital in Toledo. The Archbishop of Spain lived in the capital.
The Archbishop enjoyed so much power that he could order the
deposition
total rulers of Spain.
of a king. In other words, the Christian clerics were the
Accf^ion of Roderick (Larziq)
With regard to grandeur and magnificence the expanse of Gothic rule
had reached its peak. They had under there sway most of the islands
around the Mediterranean besides the Spanish peninsula. Some of the
parts of the northern coast of Africa were also under their control- On
the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Byzantium/nes (Eastern Romans)
ruled gloriously. When the Muslims had driven away the Romans
from Syria and Palestine, the Goth king Witiza ruled in Toledo. When
he noticed the bishops rising in power and their inhuman treatment to
the Jews, he made an attempt to cut them down to size. Being
informed of the plan, they accused the king of favoring the Jews and
brought about his deposition. They replaced him with Roderick a
military commander, who belonged to the royal family. This was the
end of Gothic rule and beginning of Roderick's rule. He was a
seasoned commander of 70 or 80 years of age. On assuming the
throne,
the Church.
he ruled with power and peace and did nothing to antagonize
Factors Leading to the Muslim Invasion of Spain
The Ceuta fort on the northern coast of Africa (Morocco) was still
under Christian possession and a man named Count Ju ian was e
garrison commander. He was a Roman commander and was deputed
on behalf of the Caesar of Constantinople. Except for this fort, all o er
occupied territories of Africa had come under Muslim contro . Ju ian
had established friendly relations with the Christian rulers of Spain
with the consent of Caesar of Constantinople. Since Spam was nearer