10 October 732 A.D. 3 Accounts: Charles
“The Hammer” Martel Hammers Islamo-Jihadi-Fascists at Tours
Halsall, Paul.
“Arabs, Franks, and the Battle of Tours, 732: Three Accounts.” Medieval
Sourcebook. 1998. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/732tours.asp. Accessed 3 Oct 2014.
Medieval Sourcebook: Arabs, Franks, and the Battle of Tours, 732: Three Accounts
[Davis Introduction]
The following opinion was expressed about the Franks by the
emir who conquered Spain, and who---had he not been recalled---might have
commanded at Tours. It shows what the Arab leaders thought of the men of the
North up to the moment of their great disillusionment by "The
Hammer."
From an Arabian Chronicler
Musa being returned to Damascus, the Caliph Abd-el Melek
asked of him about his conquests, saying "Now tell me about these
Franks---what is their nature?"
"They," replied Musa, "are a folk right
numerous, and full of might: brave and impetuous in the attack, but cowardly
and craven in event of defeat."
"And how has passed the war betwixt them and thyself?
Favorably or the reverse?"
"The reverse? No, by Allah and the prophet!" spoke
Musa. "Never has a company from my army been beaten. And never have the
Moslems hesitated to follow me when I have led them; though they were twoscore
to fourscore."
Isidore of Beja's Chronicle
[Davis Introduction]
The defeat of the Saracen invaders
of Frankish lands at Tours (more properly Poitiers) in 732 A.D. was a turning
point in history. It is not likely the Muslims, if victorious, would have
penetrated, at least at once, far into the north, but they would surely have
seized South Gaul, and thence readily have crushed the weak Christian powers of
Italy. It is very unfortunate that we do not possess scientific accounts of
Charles Martel's great victory, instead of the interesting but insufficient
stories of the old Christian chroniclers.
Then Abderrahman, [the Muslim
emir] seeing the land filled with the multitude of his army, crossed the
Pyrenees, and traversed the defiles [in the mountains] and the plains, so that
he penetrated ravaging and slaying clear into the lands of the Franks. He gave
battle to Duke Eudes (of Aquitaine) beyond the Garonne and the Dordogne, and
put him to flight---so utterly [was he beaten] that God alone knew the number
of the slain and wounded. Whereupon Abderrahman set in pursuit of Eudes; he
destroyed palaces, burned churches, and imagined he could pillage the basilica
of St. Martin of Tours. It is then that he found himself face to face with the
lord of Austrasia, Charles, a mighty warrior from his youth, and trained in all
the occasions of arms.
For almost seven days the two
armies watched one another, waiting anxiously the moment for joining the
struggle. Finally they made ready for combat. And in the shock of the battle
the men of the North seemed like North a sea that cannot be moved. Firmly they
stood, one close to another, forming as it were a bulwark of ice; and with
great blows of their swords they hewed down the Arabs. Drawn up in a band
around their chief, the people of the Austrasians carried all before them.
Their tireless hands drove their swords down to the breasts [of the foe].
At last night sundered the
combatants. The Franks with misgivings lowered their blades, and beholding the
numberless tents of the Arabs, prepared themselves for another battle the next
day. Very early, when they issued from their retreat, the men of Europe saw the
Arab tents ranged still in order, in the same place where they had set up their
camp. Unaware that they were utterly empty, and fearful lest within the
phalanxes of the Saracens were drawn up for combat, they sent out spies to
ascertain the facts. These spies discovered that all the squadrons of the
"Ishmaelites" had vanished. In fact, during the night they had fled
with the greatest silence, seeking with all speed their home land. The
Europeans, uncertain and fearful, lest they were merely hidden in order to come
back [to fall upon them] by ambushments, sent scouting parties everywhere, but
to their great amazement found nothing. Then without troubling to pursue the
fugitives, they contented themselves with sharing the spoils and returned right
gladly to their own country.
Chronicle of St. Denis
The Muslims planned to go to Tours
to destroy the Church of St. Martin, the city, and the whole country. Then came
against them the glorious Prince Charles, at the head of his whole force. He
drew up his host, and he fought as fiercely as the hungry wolf falls upon the
stag. By the grace of Our Lord, he wrought a great slaughter upon the enemies
of Christian faith, so that---as history bears witness---he slew in that battle
300,000 men, likewise their king by name Abderrahman. Then was he [Charles]
first called "Martel," for as a hammer of iron, of steel, and of
every other metal, even so he dashed: and smote in the battle all his enemies.
And what was the greatest marvel of all, he only lost in that battle 1500 men.
The tents and harness [of the enemy] were taken; and whatever else they
possessed became a prey to him and his followers. Eudes, Duke of Aquitaine,
being now reconciled with Prince Charles Martel, later slew as many of the
Saracens as he could find who had escaped from the battle.
Source.
From: William Stearns Davis, ed.,
Readings in Ancient History: Illustrative Extracts from the Sources, 2 Vols.
(Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1912-13), Vol. II: Rome and the West, pp. 362-364.
Scanned in and modernized by Dr.
Jerome S. Arkenberg, Dept. of History, Cal. State Fullerton.
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