Count Don Julián
(Also called Yulián, Olbán, Urbán or Urbano; 7th-8th centuries) Visigoth nobleman who, according to legend, facilitated the Muslim invasion of the Iberian Peninsula with his betrayal.His real identity remains shrouded in mystery, as it is not even known whether he was Gothic, Byzantine or Berber.It seems that he was a trusted man of Vitiza (penultimate of the goth kings), whose children he welcomed when he died, in his dominions of the North African province of Tingitania (710).
Later, and before the pressure of the Muslims on the square of Ceuta, it seems that he reached an understanding with the leaders of these, Musa ibn Nusair and Tariq ben Ziyad; In this collaboration, Don Julián's membership of the «Vitizano party» could have played an important role, which aspired to put Vitiza's sons on the Visigoth throne instead of the newly elected Don Rodrigo (this party would represent the option of the Hispanic «collaborationist »With the Muslim domination, against the« anti-vitamin »refugees in Asturias); According to other versions, the count went to the Muslim side out of revenge against King Rodrigo, who had dishonored his daughter, La Caba.Be that as it may, Don Julián crossed the Strait leading a mixed expedition of Vitizan and Muslims, which was probably defeated by Rodrigo's hosts; and shortly thereafter he accompanied the Tariq expedition that, after the decisive battle of Guadalete, conquered the Peninsula and ended the Visigothic kingdom (711).
The battle of Guadalete (711)
The figure of Count Don Julián has served in the legends about the end of the Visigothic kingdom as one of the explanations given to justify the facilities that the Muslims found for the invasion of the Iberian Peninsula.The oldest preserved Christian version is the Pseudoisidorian Chronicle written around the 11th century; In it, King Vitiza (702-710) brings Count Julián with his family to Seville, and there he seduces and disgraces the Count's daughter, later known by the name of Florinda and the nickname of La Cava, derived from an Arabic word meaning prostitute.When the count discovered the fact, he returned to Ceuta and entered into conversations with Tariq ben Ziyad.
The Arabic version of the story places Count Julián's daughter in the Toledo Court, where she would have gone to be educated; King Rodrigo (710-711) seduces her and Count Julián goes personally to Toledo, picks up his daughter, returns to African lands and vows revenge.Upon arrival, he set out on the Ifriqqiya road to visit Governor Musa ibn Nusair, to whom he spoke of the possibility of conquering the Iberian Peninsula in a simple way and of the riches that this can provide.Musa ibn Nusair accepts the proposal and orders the count to proceed himself to a reconnaissance of the Spanish coast; Returning to Ceuta, Count Julián carried out with a few troops an incursion through the bay of Algeciras (Cádiz), the success of which convinced Musa ibn Nusair of the possibility of a more ambitious expedition.
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