On 10 October 732, the Battle of Tours was fought in France between the Franks under Charles Martel and the Arabs under Abd er Rahman during the Wars of Arab Expansion.
Why did it happen & Who was involved?
After the death of the prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam, in 632, the Arab world expanded dramatically. Fueled by their belief in Islam, the Arabs took advantage of the power vacuum left by the recent Byzantine-Sassanid War to wrest the Middle East and North Africa from both Empires. By 721, the Arabs had conquered Spain from the Visigoths. Eleven years later, Abd er Rahman, the governor of Muslim Spain, invaded southern Gaul (modern-day France) with an army of around 30,000 Arab and Berber cavalry. When the Muslim army threatened the Christian shrine of St. Martin at Tours, Charles Martel, the governor of the Frankish realm, assembled a force of 15,000 Frankish knights to confront the Muslim army between Tours and Poitiers.
What happened?
After a week of skirmishing, the Arabs initiated the battle on 10 October by making a frontal charge against the Frankish army, which formed into a phalanx-like square bristling with swords, spears and shields to counter this move. As the Arab cavalry made repeated charges against the Franks, one charge managed to break through the Frankish line and make its way towards Charles Martel. Martel was saved by his personal bodyguard. At that point, Martel sent a raiding party to loot the Arab camp, plundering many of its treasures acquired through their conquests. As word reached the Arab army of the threat to their rear, Abd er Rahman broke off his frontal assault and headed for camp. In the chaotic fighting, Rahman was surrounded and killed, causing the Arab morale to flounder. A final Frankish counterattack led to the rout of the Arab army, resulting in 10,000 Muslim casualties for the loss of only 1,000 Franks.
What changed as a result?
The Battle of Tours was a Frankish victory and has been traditionally regarded by Western historians as a turning point in European history where Arab expansion into Europe was permanently halted. Although Muslims viewed it as simply an unsuccessful raid, Tours had momentous significance for Medieval Europe. The Frankish victory at Tours greatly enhanced Charles Martel’s reputation as ruler of the Franks. His subsequent successes in Gaul and Spain would lay the foundations for the Carolingian dynasty, where his grandson, Charlemagne, would conquer much of western Europe and be crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800.
Bibliography
Grant, R.G. 1001 Battles That Changed the Course of History. London, Cassell Illustrated, 2011.
Grant, R.G. Battle: A Visual Journey Through 5,000 Years of Combat. London, Dorling Kindersley, 2005.
Harwood, Jeremy. Atlas of History's Greatest Military Victories. London, Quantum Publishing, 2013.
Robinson, Tony. Battles That Changed History. London, Dorling Kindersley, 2018.