Battle·Umayyad
Battle of Guadalete
- Date
- July 711 CE92 AH1,315 years ago
- Place
- Guadalete River, southwestern Spain
- People
- Tariq ibn Ziyad, Roderic
The Visigothic king Roderic led an army against Tariq ibn Ziyad near the Guadalete River in southwestern Spain. The battle took place in July 711 CE. Roderic's army was defeated, and the king is believed to have died in the fighting, although sources disagree on his fate. Tariq then advanced north and took cities such as Ecija and Toledo.
Why it matters
The defeat destroyed the main Visigothic army and opened most of the Iberian Peninsula to Muslim rule.