Count Julien

The Count Julien (or Olbàn ) is the Byzantine governor of Ceuta, one of the last Byzantine bastions in North Africa the count Julien had friendly relations with the Visigoths chiefs of the Iberian peninsula.

Beyond the legends which surround the relatively obscure circumstances in which the first episodes of proceed the Moslem conquest of the Iberian peninsula, several documents indicate rather clearly (“beyond any reasonable doubt”, according to the Spanish Historien Pedro Chalmeta) that the unloading of the forces arabo - Berbères placed under the command of Tariq ibn Ziyad profited from the assistance of a Byzantine chief, known in the Arab sources under the name “Youlyân”, and in the Christian Historiographie under that of “count Julien”.

In the Arab sources of the time it is stated cliarement that the count Julien was the Byzantine governor of Ceuta, Ceuta and Tangier étaitent the last 2 Byzantine bastions in Morocco before the arrival of the Moslems.

The existence of this character of Christian religion but of dubious origin - Visigoth chief, Byzantine or Berber convert with Christianity? - remains however mysterious: it seems that at the time of the conquest of the the Maghreb by the Wali omeyyade of Kairouan, Musa ibn Nusair, which thus extend the authority of the Califat of Damas to the strait of Gibraltar, Julien were, on behalf of the King S Visigoths, Gouverneur of some cities of the extreme south of the Andalusia, and, in North Africa, of Tangier and Septem Magna (Ceuta).

Faithful vassal of the kings Égica (687 - 700) and Wittiza (702 - 710), it took, after the death of this last, the party of the prince Agila (“Akhila” for the Arabs), drawn aside from the throne of Tolède to the profit of the applicant Rodéric.

Being submitted to the Moslems, who remove Tangier to him but leave Ceuta under his government temporarily, Julien then took share with the negociations engaged by Agila with the Arabs, the incentive to cross the Straits of Gibraltar to go to support in the peninsula the claims of this prince. Julien in particular brought an appreciable help to the Arabs in their providing ships allowing, in July - August 710, the success of the raid of plundering directed by Tarif Ben Malik (which leaves its name to current the Tarifa), then that, infinitely more decisive, of the unloading of the arabo-Berber forces placed under the command of Tariq ibn Ziyad, in April 711, leading to the battles of Guadelete in July 711.

Legendary sources, as well as the Chronic S Arab, in addition explain the attitude of Julien by giving a report on the presence of his/her daughter, Florinde, at the court of king Rodéric in Tolède; violated by the king, the young girl informed her father of this humiliation while forwarding to him a rotted egg; thus prevented, Julien delivers the peninsula to the Arabs to avenge the affront made with his daughter.

Bonds

Moslem Conquest of Spain.

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