Having established a strong Islamic foothold in the Iberian Peninsula, aspirations of territory and power north of the Pyrenees was perhaps a logical step to take. But the region between Poitiers and Tours was not just a step, it was a giant leap, and a huge gamble. Standing in the way of the Muslim forces, Charles Martel has historically been depicted as the embodiment of staunch Christian fortitude, faith, and resilience to repel the invader and destroy his ambitions. Victory would preserve both his religion and his people. Failure would unlock the gates of France to dominance by the Arab world and change the face of Europe forever.
What next steps would the Umayyad Caliphate need to take to consolidate a victory at Tours?
Marching an army as far north from Arab-controlled Spain as Tours was a bit of a wild move. The Arabweaknesses of the Merovingian Frankish kings – a dynasty that hadn’t produced a dynamic figurehead in decades. The Arabs had presented themselves as a positive change to nobles in Visigothic Spain when they conquered the region in 711 and that had made for a relatively bloodless process.
