MOHAMMEDANISM 
25 
among whom were the Turks, afterwards to be the 
foremost champions of the faith. 
Next followed the conquest of North Africa between 
643-689, and from that time the Saracens began to 
threaten Europe at the twö points where its shores so 
nearly approach those of Africa and Asia respectively, 
— at Gibraltar and Constantinople. In 673 the first 
Saracen siege of Constantinople took place, but the 
inhabitants defended themselves with the help of 
Greek fire, and after five years succeeded in beating 
off the besiegers. A second siege of Constantinople SızcE or 
took place in 716, and again the inhabitants were suc- CONSTAN- 
cessful in their defence, this time under the leadership 716 
of the gallant emperor Leo the Isaurian. 
Meanwhile the Mohammedans had in 711 made 
their way across the straits into Spain, invited, it is 
said, by the traitor Count Julian, At the battle of the Barrıe 
Guadalete, Roderick, the last of the Visigothic kings, N dADA- 
perished with his army. There was little resistance LETE 711 
afterwards, and in a few years almost the whole of 
Spain was in the hands of the invaders. Before long 
they made their way into Gaul, and in 732 there was 
fought at Tours one of the decisive battles in the Barrız 
world’s history. For seven days the Frankish army 0 00RS 
under Charles Martel blocked the road of the invaders. 
At last the Moors attacked them. “The Northern 
nations stood immovable as a wall, or as if frozen 
to their places by the rigorous breath of winter, but 
hewing down the Arabs with their swords. But when 
the Austrasian people by the might of their massive 
limbs, and with iron hands striking straight from the 
chest their strenuous blows, had laid great multitudes 
of the enemy low, at last they found the king and