The history of Muslims in Al-Andalus is filled with harrowing episodes in which Muslims fell victim to the brutality of Christian kingdoms and their European allies. Despite the scientific flourishing and prosperity that accompanied Muslim rule in Al-Andalus, this did not prevent Muslims from being subjected to hundreds of massacres and atrocities, culminating in the Inquisition after the Christian kingdoms succeeded in bringing Muslim rule over the Iberian Peninsula to an end.
The Barbastro Massacre, which took place in 1064 CE, was among the most horrific and devastating ordeals suffered by Muslims during their rule in Al-Andalus. The Norman army and its European allies overran the small city and killed thousands of its inhabitants.
Muslims in Barbastro Were Divided While the Christians United
On the frontier bordering the Christian kingdoms of the north stood Barbastro, a small city situated on a minor tributary of the Ebro River within the Emirate of Zaragoza.
During the 11th century, the Kingdom of Zaragoza was among the largest of the taifa states. Initially, the Banu Tujib ruled the city before the Banu Hud took control.
When Sulayman ibn Hud, known by the title Al-Musta’in Billah, died, his kingdom was divided among his five sons. The principal city of Zaragoza remained under the control of Ahmad ibn Sulayman, known as Al-Muqtadir Billah.
Barbastro remained under Zaragoza, while his brother Yusuf, known as Al-Muzaffar Billah, was entrusted with governing it.
At that time, Pope Alexander II of the Roman Catholic Church was calling upon European Christians to participate in what would become known as the Reconquista, doing so for the first time in 1063 CE.
Only weeks after Pope Alexander II’s appeals, a European alliance began to form in the French Duchy of Normandy, where Norman tribes had previously settled after receiving permission from the King of France.
The forces of this alliance consisted primarily of Normans, supported by French and Burgundian troops, alongside a papal contingent and local Spanish forces from Catalonia and Aragon.
The army numbered approximately 40,000 fighters.
It marched from southern France towards the Pyrenees and then advanced towards Zaragoza. Barbastro lay along its route, and the allied forces placed the city under siege.
In his book The State of Islam in Al-Andalus, historian Abdullah Inan states that the crusading campaign against Barbastro was led by Guillaume de Montreuil. The army initially landed on the Catalonian coast before moving eastward through the northern territories of the Kingdom of Zaragoza on its way towards Barbastro.
Historian Ahmad al-Maqqari states in his book Nafh al-Tib min Ghusn al-Andalus al-Ratib that Yusuf ibn Sulayman ibn Hud, the ruler responsible for the city, failed to adequately defend Barbastro and left its inhabitants exposed to the invaders.
Historian Abdullah Inan reached a similar conclusion, arguing that Al-Muqtadir, ruler of Zaragoza, did not immediately move to rescue the besieged city because, as previously mentioned, it fell under the authority of his brother Yusuf al-Muzaffar.
According to Inan, this amounted to cowardice and disgrace, the consequences of which Al-Muqtadir later came to understand.
Yusuf himself was also unable to rescue the city and left it to its fate.
The Barbastro Massacre: When the Norman Army Overran the Muslims of the City
The European coalition maintained its siege of Barbastro for 40 days.
Throughout this period, the Muslims remained steadfast behind the fortified walls of their city. A number of battles took place around its outskirts between the city’s forces and the European coalition, and the Muslims succeeded in repelling several assaults.
Barbastro received its water through a canal that transported water from the river into the centre of the city using a carefully engineered system.
As the siege intensified, however, one of Barbastro’s inhabitants betrayed the city and revealed the existence and location of the canal.
The army associated with Pope Alexander II blocked the canal with rocks, dramatically worsening the suffering of the city’s inhabitants, who were soon afflicted by severe thirst.
Faced with this unbearable shortage of water, the people of Barbastro contacted the Normans and offered to surrender on the condition that their lives and the lives of their children would be protected and that they would be permitted to leave the city without their wealth.
The Normans agreed.
They then broke their pledge.
Those who emerged from the city were killed.
According to the accounts cited, only the city’s commander, Ibn al-Tawil, its judge Ibn Isa, and a small number of prominent inhabitants survived the massacre carried out by the Normans and their allies.
The European coalition inflicted extraordinary violence upon Barbastro.
According to Al-Hulal al-Mawshiyyah fi Dhikr al-Akhbar al-Marrakushiyyah, when the inhabitants gathered near the courtyard of the city’s gate, Guillaume de Montreuil ordered each person to return to his home together with his family.
Once they had done so, the allied soldiers divided the houses of Barbastro among themselves, together with the families and possessions found inside them.
Al-Maqqari records that whoever received a house as his share took possession of everything it contained, including its inhabitants, children and wealth.
The forces seized enormous quantities of property.
According to the account, Guillaume de Montreuil alone took possession of 1,500 female captives and 500 camel-loads of clothing.
The invaders also committed severe acts of killing and sexual violence.
The number of Muslims reportedly killed during the massacre reached approximately 50,000, while other accounts place the death toll as high as 100,000.
Among the most horrific scenes described from the massacre were soldiers sexually assaulting unmarried women in the presence of their fathers and married women before the eyes of their husbands and families.
Nine Months After the Barbastro Massacre, the Muslims Recaptured the City
News of the Barbastro Massacre spread throughout Al-Andalus and had a profound impact upon the Muslims there.
Among those who deeply regretted failing to support and rescue the city was Al-Muqtadir ibn Hud.
He called for a general mobilisation throughout Al-Andalus and declared jihad for the liberation of Barbastro, partly in an effort to silence those who held him responsible for what had occurred.
Nine months after the massacre and the fall of Barbastro to the Normans, a Muslim army set out under the banner of Ibn Hud.
Al-Mu’tadid ibn Abbad, ruler of Seville, also sent contingents from his army.
In 1065 CE, the Muslim forces advanced together towards Barbastro, laid siege to the city and succeeded in creating a breach in its walls.
The Muslims renewed their assault and succeeded in defeating the Norman forces.
During the battle, the Muslims killed most of the Norman soldiers who had fortified themselves inside the city.
Following the recapture of Barbastro, Ibn Hud took approximately 5,000 Christian prisoners with him to Zaragoza.
