For three days all went well, but on the fourth day, something
unexpected happened.
Shut in between the mountains and rivers of Andalusia, his troops
could hardly move, and the King had encamped on the bank of the
Guadalete.
Then he saw his people pouring down like a stream from the heights
--one division under Archbishop Oppas, the other under Count Julius.
Roderick, who believed that they were fleeing from the enemy, broke
up his camp. He could not, however, turn round, but was forced into
the stream. He tried to reach the other side by swimming, but there
he was met by archers. An Amazon came galloping along the bank on a
red roan, and directed her bow against the drowning man in the
middle of the stream. On the one bank he saw his troops, who had
halted, signal with white flags as a sign of peace to the enemy on
the opposite bank. When he saw that he was betrayed, he sank, and
with him the whole kingdom of the West Goths. Mussa marched at once
to Toledo, before a new king could be chosen. Thereby Islam became
domiciled in Spain, and remained there till 1492. The Jews, who had
especially helped the Moors, were at once emancipated, and in every
town of Spain a Jew was appointed governor.
EGINHARD TO EMMA
EASTER, A.D. 843,
The Benedictine Convent in Seligenstadt on the Main.
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