>>520510081 (OP)
1. Background: A divided Visigothic kingdom
Before the invasion, Spain (then called Hispania) was ruled by the Visigoths, a Christian Germanic people.
Their kingdom was unstable — plagued by civil wars, noble rivalries, and succession disputes.
In 710, a power struggle erupted between King Roderic (Rodrigo) and the family of the previous king, Wittiza.
One Visigothic faction, possibly seeking revenge or advantage, invited Muslim forces from North Africa to intervene.
2. The first Muslim landing (710–711)
The Umayyad Caliphate, based in Damascus, had recently conquered North Africa (modern Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia).
Tariq ibn Ziyad, a Berber general under the Umayyad governor of North Africa (Musa ibn Nusayr), led a small expedition of perhaps 7,000 men across the Strait of Gibraltar in 711 CE.
The name Gibraltar comes from Jabal Ṭāriq — “Mountain of Tariq.”
3. The Battle of Guadalete (711)
King Roderic gathered a large Visigothic army and met Tariq near Guadalete (southern Spain).
The Visigoths were defeated — possibly due to betrayal by rivals within Roderic’s own army.
Roderic himself was likely killed in the battle.
This battle broke Visigothic power, opening the path to Muslim expansion.
4. Rapid conquest (711–718)
After the victory, Muslim forces advanced quickly:
Toledo, the Visigothic capital, fell without much resistance.
Córdoba, Granada, and Seville were taken soon after.
By 718, almost all of Iberia — except the mountainous northern regions (Asturias, Basque Country) — was under Muslim control.
Musa ibn Nusayr later joined Tariq with reinforcements to consolidate the conquest.
5. Establishment of Al-Andalus
The conquered territory became the Muslim province of Al-Andalus, under the Umayyad Caliphate.
Muslims ruled most of Iberia for centuries, bringing new architecture, science, and cultural blending with Christians and Jews.