Battle of Toulouse (721)

Rio Guadalete - Toulouse - Covadonga - Tours and Poitiers - Avignon - Berre

In the battle of Toulouse on July 9, 721 the Franks beat under the command of Eudo, Duke of Aquitaine, an army of Saracens. Their leader as- Samh ibn Malik al- Chawlani, the governor of Al -Andalus, it was killed.

Prehistory

After the Saracens had conquered the Iberian kingdom of the Visigoths, they began to extend their military operations to Southeast France. The governor as- Samh ibn Malik al- Chawlani fell in the year 719 a with an army of several thousand men and conquered among others, the port city of Narbonne.

In charge of this part of the border Eudo of Aquitaine did not have the necessary troops to fight the invaders, as the best warriors were bound from Austrasia under the command of Charles Martel, mayor of the palace in a military conflict with the Saxons. Eudo was thus forced to call soldiers from across the Frankish Empire to help. His army consisted exclusively of soldiers from Burgundy, Neustria, Aquitaine and the Basque Country.

Battle

As he stood at the head of a large army, Eudoxia could proceed to the counter-attack and rush to the besieged city of Toulouse to help. On July 9, 721 the two armies clashed in front of Toulouse. The Franks took advantage of the element of surprise and attacked the Saracens with their cavalry on their flank. The fighting led to a complete defeat of the Saracens. The surviving Arabs were several kilometers followed. As- Samh ibn Malik al- Chawlani was killed during the battle. Contemporary sources speak of 3750 killed Saracens.

Follow

Before the victory of Charles Martel at Poitiers already succeeded Eudo to slow the advance of the Arabs into the Frankish Empire. For the Arab chroniclers this defeat was worse than that of Poitiers.

1874 horse and rider were found during excavations, which confirmed the existence of this battle.

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