El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-10
n n ADRID, Spain, Aug. 10.-No I
M country has SO many fascin-

eyr-Moses, the son of Nosseyr--
the great Moslem general who laid the
foundations of eight centuries of Arab
rule in Spain, and died a pauper and
an outcast. in a village near Damas-
eus
Ambition to claim glory that he
might have shared had he been will
ing to divide it, giving Tarik Ell Tuerte
his due, caused the collapse of Musa's
visions of limitless honor, and power
wnen the dream was about to be real
lied. Musa's father was a maui"
Of Abdul-l-aziz, brother of the Khalif
Abdul-l-malek. A "mauH' was man
of inferior rank and Importance who
placed himself under the patronage of
a powerful chieftain or ruler. When
Abdu-l-aziz was appointed yiceroy of
Africa he made Musa commander of
western Africa. The Moslem domin-
ions had then been extended to the
Straits of Gibraltar, and across the
strait lay the Iberian peninsula, known
to the Moslems as a country of mar
velous riches held by the 'iHfidel-"
SOlidifies the Dominion.
Musa solidified the Moslem dominion
in northwest Africa. known as Maure-
tania- A diplomatist as well as a war
rior, he not only sent thousands of
Berber slaves to Cairo to keep himself
in favor with the viceroy. but also
showed clemency to the conquered
tribes, converted them to the Moslem
faith and enlisted them under the
banners.
The Romans applied to the various
tribal divisions found in Mauritania
the generic term ''Mauri" 1t is from
this name that the Spaniards got the
word moor" which has been applied
unfortunately to Arabs and north
African aborigines since the Arab
conquest. Welding them together and
teaching them to pray in mosques, for
the great general was also a great
preacher. Musa rose TO the position of
Amir of Africa. taking orders from the
Khalif at Damascus instead Of the
Yiceroy at Cairo.
The Banner of Islam Floats
The banner of Islam fIoated from
the towers of Tangiers, and a veritable
congress of Asian and African races
swarmed down the Barbary coast TO
bear the Crescent into Andalusia,
where the Gothic kings had upheld the
cross for 900 years. Among the valued
retainers of Musa Ibn Nosseyr was
Tarik Ell Tuerto, a man of obscure
origin, who had risen to the position
of "mauli' to Musa. According to
some accounts he was a red haired
Persian, while others contend that he
was a Berber. He was dubbed "El
Tuerto." because of missing or dis
figured eye.
When the treason of Julian against
the Gothic king, Roderik, was oc-
casioned by Roderik's seduction, or
violation Of Julian's daughter, Flor
linda, maid of honor TO the queen, JUL
ian held Ceuta on the African coast,
the only Spanish outpost beyond the
Strait of Gibraltar. Julian's proposal
to lead the Moslems into Spain afford
ed the opportunity for, which the
Arab-Moors had been waiting After
Tariff Abu Zar'ah had been sent to re-
connoiter. landing at the island of
Tarifa, which was named in his honor,
and returning with captiyes and spells,
the conduct of the invasion was placed
in the hands of Musa's trusted maui"
Tarik- BY the appointment of so gall
liant soldier and so clement o con-
aueror. Musa paved the way for his
own eclipse as general and over
throw as a favorite Of the khalif
On the way across the "Bahr-z-zok-
hak, or narrow sea, as the Arabs
called the strait farik fell asleep.
When he awoke he told his subordin-
ate officers that he had seen a vision
in which Mahomet. surrounded by war
riors with barred swords and drawn
bows, pointed toward fair Andalusia
and babe him to accomplish It's con-
quest in the name Of Allah and his
prophet, and In the cause of Islam
The expedition was altogether a pious
enterprise, footing the infidei being re-
garded as assuring especial favor in
heaven, and Musa had knelt at the
beach and prayed for the success of
Tarik, little dreaming how great that
success would be-
Roderfk's Moving Throne.
When Roderik massed his men upon
the field Of Gaudalete he addressed
them from a moving throne of ivory,
telling them that a horde of deluded
lnfidels, puffed up with the victories
hey had achieved over eunuchs and
naked barbarians in Africa, had been
delivered by their pride into the hands
II the servants of God. Tarik, no
less pfous than Roderik, made an adj
iress to his men in which he said that |
Allah commanded them to overcome !
the inffdel, who had sent against them |
countless warriors, and that as the |
lea was behind the MosIem army. the |
'osts of the prophet faced death or |
Fictory When Roderik was defeated |
after eight days fighting, Tarik hit |
.POh q Scneme 10 awe the Spanfards. 1
In the presence of Christian eaptives |
ne ordered a large number of their |
ELBOWS who had fallen in battle to |
'e cut up and cooked in kettles as |
4 for feast The prisoners were |
hen allowed to escape. They scat |
cred the news that Spain had been |
invaded by eannibals
Musa received the news of Tarik's |
7ietory and became alarmed lest his |
mpetuous maui should conquer |
spain and get all of the glory OF the |
achievement. He ordered him to pitch |
amp and await reinforceme But |
rarik and his subordinate Officers held |
! council and decided to advance |
'ordova had been taken, Granada had
unlimited, Toledo. fortified by Julius
caesar and emperor Augustus, and re-
certified by the Goths, had made terms |
nd turned over its treasures to Tarik
before Musa mana ged to catch up with
lin.
The Table of Solomon.
One of the greatest treasures of
Toledo was called the table of Solo
non, its discovery had history as
'omantfc as the story of the part it
vas destined to play in the tragedy
Il Musa- According to the legend |
here was secret chamber in Rod