The Battle of Guadalete took place in 711 AD between the Berbers/Arabs/Saracens/Moors and the Goths, in which the Islamic army under Tariq conquered southern Spain after killing Roderic.
Background[]
After the death of Prophet Muhammad, the Arabs of the present-day Nejd region of Saudi Arabia spread out and conquered the world in his name. Armies took down the Sassanian Empire of Persia, conquered Egypt from the Eastern Roman Empire, took over North Africa, and made it to Mauretania, conquering it from indigenous tribes. The Abbasid Caliphate soon sent an expeditionary force under General Tariq into Spain to conquer it from the Goths.
Battle[]
A force of 12,000 Berbers and 300 Arab cavalry crossed the Straits of Gibraltar in 711. They were opposed by a larger Visigoth army led by King Roderic. As battle began, much of his army, weakened by feuds within the royal family, deserted, leading to a Berber victory and the rapid Muslim conquest of most of Spain. Roderic was among the slain Christians.