On October 10, 732 AD Christendom was saved when the forces of darkness were at the height of their power. Just a few years before, Tarik the Moor had entered Spain on what was to be a raid. He found the Visigoth rulers of Spain splintered and self serving, and the raid became a conquest. By 711 AD Al Andalus was the domain of the Ummayid Caliphate. Some years later Abdul Rahman Al Gafiqi the governor of Al Andulus sought to expand the conquest to all of Europe, and invaded the Kingdom of the franks. Historian Paul Davis estimated the Ummayid force to be about 80,000 and the Frankish army to be about half that number. Some estimates of the Christian forces are at about 30,000.
When the Muslim forces burned and pillaged their way through France, they turned towards the abbey at Tours near Poitiers. There on the high ground before them were arrayed the Frankish Infantry. The two sides face each other for days waiting for the other side to make the first move. Abdul Rahman sensing that winter would soon be arriving finally decided to make the first move. He had greatly underestimated the disciplined Frankish Christians under the command of Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer) that faced him. These were not the unmotivated forces that Tarik had met in Spain some years before. The Arab cavalry was superb, and yet as they repeatedly charged the Frankish shield wall they were repeatedly repulsed. The Frankish Cavalry in the meantime attacked the Muslim encampment, causing great confusion. The Muslims who had been unable to break the Christian Infantry at least wanted to save the booty captured in their raids. Some of them left the battle which they had already been loosing to save their plunder. Soon the Muslim forces were in complete route, and Abdul Rahman was killed. The Muslim forces were decisively defeated and fled back to Al Andalus. God gave victory to the soldiers of Christ, and saved Europe from the hordes of Islam. On this day October 10, which is thought by many to be the day of the victory of Charles Martel, we should pause to remember that by many or by few God is able to bring victory to the people of God.
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