THE Battle of Poitiers occurred in 732 it became known as one of the most famous conflicts involving Muslims and Christians. And this is due to the fact that the battle was presented as the military action that managed to stop the Islamic troops from entering the European continent even further, after the rapid takeover of the Iberian Peninsula.
From the emirate of cordoba, established after 711, Islamic troops expanded throughout this European region, conquering land, in addition to looting and looting various locations through which the troops passed. The strength of the Islamic troops resided in the fact that they were mainly formed by cavalry, a form of military organization not much used by European troops.
Conflicts between Muslims and Franks had intensified in 722, when troops commanded by the Duke Eudes of Aquitaine managed to contain the Islamists in Toulouse, after having crossed the Pyrenees. Ten years later, the threat was present again, with the difference that Duke Eudes felt unable to face the cavalry of the Moors again. The solution was to ask his rival for military assistance,
Charles king of the francs.Commanded by Abd al-Rahman, Emir of Cordoba, the Islamists had already conquered Avignon, Viviers, Valence, Vienne, Lyon and Bourdeaux, when the army led by Charles placed itself at a site located between Poitiers and Tours. However, the European army was composed predominantly of infantry, fighting on land, in a formation very close to that adopted by the Macedonian and Roman armies. THE cavalry used by muslims he had previously put them at an advantage, which did not turn out to be the case at the Battle of Poitiers.
Phalanges formed by Charles's army, arranged in the form of squares and equipped with shields, axes, daggers, and spears, they stood on a hill awaiting attack by Abd al-Rahman's troops. For two or seven days (information that differs according to the source, Christian or Islamic), the troops faced each other in bloody battles, which were won by the Christians. THE Battle of Poitiers it was one of the rare conflicts in which infantry beat cavalry.
The final blow dealt by the Christians came after they invaded the Muslim camp and plundered the treasures they had plundered during the invasions of the various French cities. News of the attack on the camp led to the withdrawal of many Islamic knights to save their booty. In the disorganization of the troops, Abd al-Rahman ended up approaching the defensive lines mounted by Carlos, being killed by a combatant's spear. The next day, without their commander and possibly without part of the looted treasure, the Muslims retreated, leaving the site of battle.
Carlos received, after the battle, the nickname of Martel, meaning “one who strikes with a hammer”. Another consequence of the Battle of Poitiers was the expansion of the Frankish empire by Carlos Martel, conquering the region dominated by the Duke of Aquitaine.
The Battle of Poitiers was relegated to history as the moment of containment of the Islamic invasion of Europe, which put Christian civilization at risk, which had not yet reached its peak. However, new Islamic incursions occurred after this period, indicating that the construction of this image of containing the invasion can having been made with the aim of praising the frank achievements and contributing some elements to the formation of nationalism French.
By Tales Pinto
Graduated in History
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/guerras/batalha-poitiers-invasao-islamica.htm
