; at the head of an
innumerable army; surrounded by experienced captains, who had been the
frequent {42} witnesses of his martial triumphs; and long inspired with
the warmest hopes of finally adding to the dominion of Islamism the
only country belonging to the ancient Roman empire that still remained
unsubdued by the Saracens, the Moorish leader met his brave foe, upon
equal terms, on the battle-field of Tours, A.D. 733, Heg. 114.

The action was long and bloody. Abderamus was slain; and this
dispiriting loss, without doubt, decided the defeat of his army.[13]
Historians assert that more than three hundred thousand men perished.
This statement is probably exaggerated; but it is certainly true, that
the Moors, who had thus penetrated into the midst of France, were
relentlessly pursued after their defeat, and were many of them unable
to escape from the army of the victors and the vengeance of the people.

This memorable battle, of which we possess no details, saved France
from the yoke of the Arabs, and effectually arrested their spreading
dominion.

Once again, subsequent to this reverse, the Moors attempted to
penetrate into France, and {43} succeeded in seizing upon Avignon; but
Charles Martel defeated them anew, retook the captured city, drove them
from Narbonne, and deprived them forever of the hope with which they
had so often flattered themselves.

After the death of Abderamus, Spain was torn by dissensions between the
two governors[14] named successively by the Caliph. A third pretender
arrived from Africa. A fourth added himself to the list;[15] factions
multiplied; the different parties often had recourse to arms; chiefs
were assassinated, cities taken, and provinces ravaged.

The details of these events are variously related by different
historians, but possess little interest in the narrations of any.

These civil wars lasted nearly twenty years. The Christians, who had
retired into Asturia, profited by them to the utmost. Alphonso I., the
son-in-law and successor of Pelagius, imitated the career of that hero.
He seized upon a part of Galicia and Leon, repulsed the Mussulman
troops who were sent to oppose him, and rendered himself master of
several towns.

The Moors, occupied by their domestic {44} quarrels, neglected to
arrest the progress of Alphonso, and from that time the growth of a
miniature kingdom commenced, whose interests were inimical to those of
the Saracens in Spain.

After many cri