Expansion to Provence and Charles Martel Umayyad invasion of Gaul

muslim troops leaving narbonne pépin le bref, in 759, after 40 years of occupation.

still, in 734, umayyad forces (called saracens europeans @ time) under abd el-malik el fihri, abd al-rahman s successor, received without fight submission of cities of avignon, arles, , marseille, ruled count maurontus. patrician of provence had called andalusi forces in protect strongholds carolingian thrust, maybe estimating own garrisons weak fend off charles martel s well-organised, strong army made of vassi enriched church lands.

charles faced opposition of various regional actors. begin gothic , gallo-roman nobility of region, feared aggressive , overbearing policy. charles decided ally lombard king liutprand in order repel umayyads , regional nobility of gothic , gallo-roman stock. underwent hostility of dukes of aquitaine, jeopardized charles , successor pepin s rearguard (737, 752) during military operations in septimania , provence. dukes of aquitaine in turn largely relied on strength of basque troops, acting on strategic alliance aquitanians since mid-7th century.

in 737, charles captured , reduced avignon rubble, besides destroying umayyad fleet. brother of charles, childebrand failed in siege of narbonne. charles attacked several other cities had collaborated umayyads, , destroyed fortifications: beziers, agde, maguelone, montpellier, nimes. before return northern francia, charles had managed crush opposition in provence , lower rhone. count maurontus of marseille fled alps.