Battle of Orbieu River
Battle of Orbieu River (793) | |||||||
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Part of the Reconquista | |||||||
Orbieu River | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Emirate of Córdoba | Kingdom of the Franks Duchy of Aquitaine | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Abdul Malik | William of Gellone | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown |
- v
- t
- e
- 8th century
- Covadonga
- 1st Roncevaux Pass
- Burbia River
- Orbieu River
- Lutos
- Las Babias
- Río Quirós
- Oviedo
- 1st Lisbon
- 9th century
- 1st Barcelona
- 1st Tortosa
- Pancorbo
- 2nd Roncevaux Pass
- Clavijo
- Albelda
- Guadalacete
- Monte Laturce
- Morcuera
- Polvoraria
- 1st Cellorigo
- 2nd Cellorigo
- 2nd Barcelona
- 10th century
- Day of Zamora
- 1st Majorca
- Pallars and Ribagorza
- 1st San Esteban de Gormaz
- 2nd San Esteban de Gormaz
- Valdejunquera
- 1st Toledo
- Alhandic
- Simancas
- Estercuel
- Torrevicente
- Rueda
- 3rd Barcelona
- 11th century
- Cervera
- Calatañazor
- Torà
- Albesa
- Aqbat al-Bakr
- Graus
- Coimbra
- Barbastro
- Paterna
- Llantada
- Golpejera
- Cabra
- Piedra Pisada
- Morella
- 2nd Toledo
- 1st Zaragoza
- Sagrajas
- Tudela
- Tévar
- 3rd Toledo
- Almodóvar del Río
- 1st Valencia
- 2nd Lisbon
- Alcoraz
- Bairén
- Consuegra
- 4th Toledo
- 5th Toledo
- 12th century
- 2nd Valencia
- Mollerussa
- Balaguer
- Uclés
- Norwegian raid
- 3rd Lisbon
- Talavera
- Formentera
- Ibiza
- 1st Balearic Islands
- 6th Toledo
- Candespina
- Vatalandi
- 1st Santarém
- 2nd Balearic Islands
- Martorell
- Coimbra
- 2nd Zaragoza
- Cutanda
- 1st Lleida
- 1st Granada
- Corbins
- Alcalá
- 3rd Valencia
- Aceca
- 1st Badajoz
- Fraga
- Leiria
- 1st Coria
- Ourique
- Oreja
- Trancoso
- 2nd Coria
- 4th Lisbon
- 1st Montiel
- Soure
- Albacete
- 1st Almería
- Al-Ludjdj
- 2nd Santarém
- Sacavém
- 5th Lisbon
- Sacavém
- 2nd Tortosa
- 2nd Lleida
- 2nd Almería
- 1st Alcácer do Sal
- Palmela
- 1st Évora
- 2nd Badajoz
- Juromenha
- 3rd Santarém
- Central Iberia
- Tarragona
- Cuenca
- Calatrava
- 2nd Seville
- Abrantes
- 2nd Évora
- 4th Santarém
- Alvor
- 1st Silves
- 2nd Silves
- Tomar
- 2nd Alcácer do Sal
- 2nd Silves
- Alarcos
- Talamanca
- 13th century
- Al-Dāmūs
- Las Navas de Tolosa
- 3rd Alcácer do Sal
- 1st Jaén
- Peníscola
- Aragonese raid
- 2nd Majorca
- 2nd Jaén
- 1st Jerez
- Ares
- Burriana
- Córdoba
- El Puig
- 4th Valencia
- Algarve
- 1st Xàtiva
- 2nd Xàtiva
- Biar
- 3rd Jaén
- 3rd Seville
- Faro
- 2nd Jerez
- Mudéjar revolt
- 3rd Jerez
- 1st Murcia
- Écija
- Martos
- Andalusia
- 1st Algeciras
- 2nd Algeciras
- Moclín
- Iznalloz
- 14th century
- 1st Gibraltar
- 3rd Algeciras
- 3rd Almería
- 2nd Gibraltar
- Vega de Granada
- Shepherds' Crusade
- Teba
- 3rd Gibraltar
- 4th Gibraltar
- Vega de Pagana
- Getares
- Río Salado
- Estepona
- Guadalmesí
- 4th Algeciras
- 5th Gibraltar
- Linuesa
- Guadix
- 2nd Montiel
- 5th Algeciras
- 2nd Murcia
- 15th century
- Collejares
- Antequera
- 6th Gibraltar
- La Higueruela
- 7th Gibraltar
- Los Alporchones
- 8th Gibraltar
- 9th Gibraltar
- 2nd Granada campaign
- Lucena
- Málaga
- Post-Reconquista Rebellions
- 1st Alpujarras
- 2nd Alpujarras
- North Africa
The battle of Orbieu River was a military engagement between the Umayyads of Spain and the Frankish army led by William of Gellone, the Duke of Toulouse. The Umayyads defeated the Franks and returned with great loot.
Background
In 785, the inhabitants of Girona revolted against the Umayyad rule and placed themselves under the rule of the Franks. Septimania and the south of the Pyrenees had come under the rule of the Franks. Faced with these issues, the Umayyads had to act since their dominion in the north of Spain was threatened. For this, the Umayyad Emir, Hisham I, decided to launch a military expedition in 793 with multiple objectives: it involved punishing those who escaped the Umayyad rule, bringing loot, and reconnoitering the terrain to check the possibility of reconquest.[1] By the time of the expedition, the Frankish king, Charlemagne, was busy fighting the Saxons and his son, Louis, in Italy. The Franks left control of the region under William of Gellone.[2][3]
Battle
Hisham dispatched his prince, Abdul Malik, with a large Umayyad army to devastate Gaul. The Umayyads reached the walls of Narbonne, where they burned the suburbs, captured many people, and gained rich loot. After that, they headed towards Carcassonne. Learning this, Duke William marched with his Frankish and Aquitaine armies to meet the Umayyads. Both sides met at the Orbieu River. The battle went badly for the Christians and many of them were killed; however, Duke William fought bravely but he could not defeat them as many of the nobles had retreated and left him alone. William was forced to retreat in the end. The victorious Muslims, however, did not continue their march. Satisfied with the loot they captured, they returned to Spain.[4][5][6] The battle happened either on March 28 or in the summer.[7]
Aftermath
The Arabs had captured great wealth and slaves. It is said they got 45,000 pounds of gold, which was used to build the Cordoban mosque.[8][9] Charlamagne was deeply affected by this defeat; however, he did not organize a military expedition to punish Hisham as he was busy fighting the Saxons.[10][11] A series of military campaigns from 798 to 803 established the Spanish March which was a barrier preventing Umayyad incursions.[12]
References
Sources
- Gauthier Langlois (2021), Aux origines de la chanson de geste Guillaume d’Orange : traditions historiques et légendaires musulmanes et chrétiennes autour de la razzia sarrasine de 793 en Languedoc.[1]
- Jean-Charles-Léonard Simonde Sismondi (1850), The French Under the Merovingians.[2]
- Elie Griffe (1941), La razzia sarrasine de 793 en Septimanie. Bataille de l'Orbieu ou Bataille de L'Orbiel?.[3]