Tarik ibn Ziyad

Tarik ibn Ziyad was an 8th-century Berber military leader known for leading the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, particularly present-day Spain and Portugal. He arrived in 711 AD with a small army, crossing the strait that now bears his name, the Strait of Gibraltar. Tarik’s decisive victory over the Visigothic king Roderic at the Battle of Guadalete marked the beginning of Muslim rule in parts of Europe that lasted for centuries. He is often remembered for his strategic prowess and significant role in the early expansion of Islam into Western territories, shaping cultural and historical developments in the region.