In the year 711, the Visigothic king Roderic was fighting against the Vascones when the Muslims, taking advantage of the situation, were sent by the governor Musa ibn Nusayr to cross the Straits of Gibraltar. Led by Tariq ibn Ziyad, they began the conquest of the Christian Europe.

The relationship between Vascones and Arabs ranged from friendship to war. Musa had already arrived in Zaragoza before 714. Count Casius, who ruled some place in the Ebro Valley, realised how difficult it was the military situation and, in the hope of preserving his lands, placed himself at the service of the Caliph that same year.

This decision gave rise to the Basque-Arab family known as Banu-Qasi, which ruled the Ebro Riverbank for four centuries and how its contribution was of vital importance in the future emergence of the Kingdom of Pamplona. In other words, the realm resulted from the cooperation between the Vascones, led by Iñigo Arista, and the Basque-Muslims, the Banu-Qasi from the Ebro Riverbank.

Contrary to what was supposed until recently, the southern Basques converted to Islam, especially the ones from the Ebro Riverbank, what did not prevent the marriages between the Basques from Spania (the peninsular territories at the hands of the Arabs) and the northern Basques, who still kept the ancient religion.

Chest of Leire (Navarre) with Arabian decorationThe Navarrese writings of the Middle Ages, for example the ones from Tudela of the 14th century, show records of people whose names consist of an Arab first name and a Basque nickname, which proves the strong influence of Islam during that period. Another myth that those inscriptions discredit is the supposed loss of Euskara in southern Navarre since Roman times: if it had happened so, it would not be logical the use of Basque nicknames by people of families rooted in the territory, who practised the Islamic religion. As an example of this, there are several names that have reached us today, like Mahoma Oxarra, who was Juror of the Aljama (Moorish quarter) of Tudela in 1309. There are other outstanding Basque-Muslims names, like Mahoma Ezquerro in the city of Ablitas, and Mahoma Abarqua, found in Cortes and Ribaforada. All those cities belong to the Ebro Riverbank, southern Navarre.

 

 

 

 

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The History of the Basque Country continues on the following page >> The Kingdom of Pamplona

 

 

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