Battle Of Tours Essay

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Throughout history, many decisive battles have been fought that have drastically changed the course of our world history. Arguably, one of the most important battles fought was the Battle of Tours on October 10, 732, between the Franks, led by Charles Martel, and the Muslim army, led by Emir Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi Abd al Rahman. Due to his brilliant tactical strategy and the fierce loyalty of his army, Charles Martel halted the push of the Muslim invasion of present day Spain and France. The subsequent battles fought by Charles, his son and his grandson, Charlemagne, saved Christianity and Europe and gave rise to the Holy Roman Empire and Papal states. In 711, the Muslim forces of the Umayyad Calliphate landed on the Iberian Peninsula and began their invasion of what is present day Spain and France. Easily conquering the Visigoth Christian kingdoms in their path, the Muslim army raped, pillaged and plundered their way through the land and over the Pyrenes Mountains, into present day France. The forces of Al-Samih ibn Malik established a Muslim capitol at Narbonne in 720. After a defeat at Toulouse in 721, the Muslim armies continued their push through Aquitaine where the Muslim generals defeated Duke Odo and thus sacked the entire region. Duke Odo fled north to beg the aid of the Franks, specifically the Mayor of the …show more content…

When none came, Charles Martel sent his scouts out again to find the Muslim army. The Frankish scouts found the camps deserted as the Muslim army had retreated in the middle of the night in fractured chaos, still raping, pillaging and plundering their way back through the region. Thus giving a medieval infantry the first ever recorded victory over a superior armored cavalry. The victory also earned Charles his nickname, Martel, meaning hammer. Charles’ ability to foresee what his enemy would do and his tactical genius would lead his smaller force in many more

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