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Battle of Tours: Franks Turn the Islamic Tide
"Battle of Poitiers [Tours] in October 732" by Charles de Steuben (1788-1856)
Oil on canvas painting (1834-1837?); at the Gallery of Battles, Versailles Palace, France
[Charles Martel is the mounted figure left-of-center, brandishing a battle axe]
In the one hundred years since the death of Muhammad, Muslim armies had swept up out of the Arabian
Peninsula and expanded the reach of Islam from the jungles of northern India, across the deserts of North
Africa, and into modern-day Spain. In 732, the year of the one hundredth anniversary of the death of
Muhammad, Muslim armies of the Umayyad Caliphate crossed the Pyrenees Mountains into Gaul (modern-day
France). The duke of Aquitaine, Odo the Great, unable to beat back the invaders, called for assistance from the
Franks, who ruled the northern part of Gaul. The current major domo- “mayor of the palace” who was the true
power behind the throne- was a man named Charles. Charles marshaled his forces and moved them out to
respond to the plea for help.
The two armies met somewhere between the towns of Tours and Poitiers in central Gaul; the exact location of
the battlefield is unknown. Indeed, much of the information surrounding the battle remains unknown, including
the size of the respective armies, how long the battle actually lasted, or the objective of the Muslim army. Some
historians believe that it was the leading element of an invasion force, while others believe that it was no more
than a raiding force, searching for food and plunder, such as that held at the Abbey of Saint Martin in Tours.
However, considering the previous actions of Muslim armies, and especially looking at their resounding success
in quickly conquering much area, it seems unlikely that the Muslim force under Abd-ar-Rahman was just a
raiding party.
Charles was able to position his forces on a field of his choosing, and formed them into a defensive phalanx.
The Muslim armies were caught off-guard, not expecting a large force to be opposing them. For several days,
the two forces skirmished against each other, trying to force the other to make the first move. Finally, with the
northern European winter starting to close in on them, the Muslim forces made the attack.
The Umayyad cavalry, victorious in so many previous battles, made charge after charge against the infantry
squares of the Franks. However, Charles had made a wise decision and placed his forces on a hill with several
clumps of trees on it. Combining the grade of the hill, the trees, and the experienced Frankish infantry, the
Muslim horsemen were unable to break through the defenses of the Christians.
According to both Frankish and Muslim histories, at some point during the battle a rumor went through the
Muslim armies that Frankish scouts were raiding the Muslim camp and supply train, freeing slaves and carrying
off the plunder the Muslims had previously taken from several raids. Several Muslims broke off their attack in
order to return and secure their camp. To the rest of the Muslim army, this appeared to them as a retreat, and it
soon became one as other Muslim forces broke off from the attack. While trying to stop the retreat, the Muslim
commander Abd-ar-Rahman was surrounded and killed. As night approached, the two sides retired from the
battle, the Franks resuming their defensive positions on the hill.
The next morning, the Franks awaited what they presumed would be the resumed attack. However, at some
point during the night, the Muslim armies had slipped away quietly to retreat across the Pyrenees. The Franks
had secured a victory for Christendom in Western Europe. In recognition of his deeds, Charles gained much
prestige and numerous honors, including a new title: Charles Martel, or “Charles the Hammer”.
The Battle of Tours is very significant to history as we see the first collision of two institutions, Christianity and
Islam. The Battle of Tours is routinely cited as one of the top ten most important battles in history, in which the
course of the world would be changed if the outcome of the battle would have been different. Indeed, one must
ask the question, “What if the Muslims had won at Tours?” Even if the Muslim force had only been a raiding
party, victory and the riches of the Abbey of Saint Martin would have only whetted their appetite for further
expansion and conquest. With a Muslim victory at Tours, the doorway to the treasures of the monasteries of
Paris, Rome, and possibly even London would have been open. Christianity would have remained a small
religion based around the trading centers of Constantinople and Kiev, assuming that they too did not fall. In
addition, the Athenian theories of democracy, freedom, and individualism would have been grounded into the
dust, changing the world forever.
Sources:
Hanson, Victor Davis. Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the
Rise of Western Culture. New York: Anchor Books, 2001.
Kohn, George Childs. “Tours, Battle of.” Dictionary of Wars: Revised
Edition. New York: Facts on File, Inc, 1999. 496.
Strauss, Barry S. “The Dark Ages Made Lighter.” What If? Ed. Robert
Cowley. New York: Berkley Books, 1999. 71-92.