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The 'Mustard Seed' that Grew to Liberate Christian Spain from Muslim Rule
American Thinker.com ^ | May 28, 2020 | Raymond Ibrahim

Posted on 05/28/2020 6:28:09 AM PDT by Kaslin

Nearly thirteen hundred years ago today, on May 28, 722[i], a little known but profoundly important battle was waged that set the tone for the next eight hundred years of Christian-Muslim "coexistence" in Spain: the Battle of Covadonga.

Ten years earlier, Arabs and Africans, both under the banner of Islam, had "godlessly invaded Spain to destroy it," to quote from the Chronicle of 754. Once on European soil, they "ruined beautiful cities, burning them with fire; condemned lords and powerful men to the cross; and butchered youths and infants with the sword."

After meeting and beating Spain's Visigothic nobles at the Battle of Guadalete — "never was there in the West a more bloody battle than this," wrote the Muslim chronicler al-Hakam, "for the Muslims did not withdraw their scimitars from them [Christians] for three days" — the invaders continued to penetrate northward into Spain, "not passing a place without reducing it, and getting possession of its wealth, for Allah Almighty had struck with terror the hearts of the infidels."

Such terrorism was intentionally cultivated, in keeping with the Koran (3:151, 8:12, etc.). For instance, the invaders slaughtered, cooked, and pretended to eat Christian captives, while releasing others who, horrified, fled and "informed the people of Andalus [Spain] that the Muslims feed on human flesh," thereby "contributing in no small degree to increase the panic of the infidels," wrote al-Maqqari, another Muslim chronicler.

Contrary to the claim that, seeing that Muslim rule was no worse and possibly preferable to Visigothic rule, Spain capitulated easily, even Muslim chroniclers note how "the Christians defended themselves with the utmost vigor and resolution, and great was the havoc that they made in the ranks of the faithful." In Córdoba, for example, a number of Spaniards holed themselves up in a church.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: almunecar; spain
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1 posted on 05/28/2020 6:28:09 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Thank you for the posting. Of course, 8 centuries later, after the Reconquista, the Spaniards embarked on their ill-advised inquisition, and in the process, rid the country of all the Jews, an act that lives on in infamy.


2 posted on 05/28/2020 6:33:45 AM PDT by nwrep
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To: Kaslin
It's hard to imagine the significance of Covadonga and its hero Pelayo to Spanish identity.

It's analogous to the place the Battle of Lexington and George Washington occupies in American's psyche.

The battle site itself, in Cangas de Onis, is incredibly beautiful and immediately adjacent to the stunning Picos de Europa in northern Spain. Very worthwhile place to visit and very worthwhile area for dining.

3 posted on 05/28/2020 6:34:57 AM PDT by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
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To: Kaslin
But.. but..

Islam is the religion of peace, according to CAIR and Horge Bush.

4 posted on 05/28/2020 6:37:24 AM PDT by Thommas
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To: Kaslin

History record many instances where a faithful remnant eventually triumphs after a nation is overwhelmed by internal dissolution or foreign invasion. Will there be an American “faithful remnant”?


5 posted on 05/28/2020 6:39:23 AM PDT by allendale (.)
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To: Kaslin

Islame is a cancer on rationality


6 posted on 05/28/2020 6:42:42 AM PDT by mjp ((pro-{God, reality, reason, egoism, individualism, natural rights, limited government, capitalism}))
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To: Kaslin

Muslim have not changes in 1300 years. Just give the modern day muslim a chance and history will repeat itself.


7 posted on 05/28/2020 6:43:32 AM PDT by chopperk
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To: Kaslin

Thanks for posting. The dhimmis of the modern western world seemed to have learned no lesson from Spain.


8 posted on 05/28/2020 6:43:52 AM PDT by freefdny
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To: Kaslin

Thank you for the inspiring history.


9 posted on 05/28/2020 6:43:59 AM PDT by AndyJackson
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To: nwrep
two points to note -

1. Jews in Visigothic Spain aided the Moors in the conquest of Spain. This, like the Jewish support of Arab invasions in Cyrene, Egypt, Syria and Israel seem to have been a counter-reaction by Jews to Christians and also that they mistook the Arabs as belonging to a version of Judaism -- since the Arab Moorish conquerors were strictly monotheistic

2. Jews in Muslim Spain quite often sided with the Muslims when the Christians were conquering the Muslim cities. This again is explainable as "supporting the devil you know"

This was the memory that led to the expulsion of Jews from spain in 1492 -- This has nothing to do with the inquisition which started over a hundred years LATER but had everything to do with ridding a perceived "enemy within". We can argue about this, but that is what the Spanish conquerors perceived.

10 posted on 05/28/2020 6:51:31 AM PDT by Cronos (Re-elect President Trump 2020!)
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To: mjp
Islame is a cancer on rationality

So is its monstrous twin of many names: Progressivism, Socialism, Communism, Liberalism, Technocracy

11 posted on 05/28/2020 6:55:49 AM PDT by spirited irish
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To: Kaslin

Thanks for posting. I didn’t know about this inspiring piece of history.

If I wasn’t entirely happy with my screen name and decided to pick a new one, “Covadonga” would be in the running.


12 posted on 05/28/2020 6:55:55 AM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
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To: chopperk
Muslims HAVE changed - when they convert, whether to Christianity or to atheism, they become like normal people. The problem is Islam

Islam has NOT changed and it can't change. Islam is based on following the example of "the perfect man - Muhammad". I don't believe M existed, but is an amalgamation fo various warlords. And he comes across as a warlord. So no matter how much Islam "changes" its fundamentals are still Mad Mo

Christianity has as its perfect man, Jesus - no matter how it changes we have Jesus

You can't make Jesus into a warlord or authorixing the massacre or enslavement of people

13 posted on 05/28/2020 6:56:32 AM PDT by Cronos (Re-elect President Trump 2020!)
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To: Thommas

>>>Islam is the religion of peace, according to CAIR and Horge Bush.

Yup, Yup... Islam is the religion of peace and muslims will kill to prove it!


14 posted on 05/28/2020 7:15:03 AM PDT by existentially_kuffer
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To: Kaslin

good article, thanks


15 posted on 05/28/2020 7:20:23 AM PDT by gdc61 (LOL not.)
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To: Pearls Before Swine

This article is excerpted from the author’s book “Sword and Scimitar”.
I just finished reading it, and it should be required reading.
It’s extraordinarily well-researched from original sources, both muslim and Christian


16 posted on 05/28/2020 7:22:32 AM PDT by AbnSarge
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To: Cronos

Thank you for this post. The truth opens eyes.

Countries all over the world, including the U.S. need a Ferdinand and Isabella. Islam is a conqueror and a tyrant until defeated by expulsion. Or worse.


17 posted on 05/28/2020 7:24:19 AM PDT by amihow
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To: nwrep

And to reiterate - whatever Jewish people may or may not have done in the centuries past is not at all relevant to how we or anyone treats Jewish people today.


18 posted on 05/28/2020 7:25:09 AM PDT by Cronos (Re-elect President Trump 2020!)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

19 posted on 05/28/2020 7:38:07 AM PDT by SJackson (Suppose you were an idiot, suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself, Mark Twain)
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To: Cronos

Sure. They had their reasons to doubt and suspect the Jews of collusion. The expulsion still stands as a black mark on Spanish history. It caused a major Jewish calamity and led to the Sephardic Jewish diaspora.


20 posted on 05/28/2020 7:50:46 AM PDT by nwrep
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