Battle of Tabarka


The Battle of Tabarka was a military engagement fought between the forces of the Umayyad Caliphate and Dihya, a Berber queen. The battle took place near the city of Tabarka, Tunisia, in either 701, 702 or 703 AD. The battle resulted in a major victory for the Umayyads and the end of organized Berber resistance to the caliphate.

History

During the late 7th century, forces of Arab-dominated Umayyad Caliphate the conducted a decades-long conquest of the Magrheb, then under the nominal control of the Byzantine Empire. One major obstacle to the invasion was Dihya, a Berber queen who had fought against the Umayyad advance into Numidia. In 698 she won a victory over the Umayyads at the Battle of Meskiana, temporarily halting Hassan ibn al-Nu'man's campaign to conquer Numidia.
Regrouping in Libya, the Umayyadss invaded Numidia again in either 701, 702 or 703. Dihya gathered many Berber tribes people to resist the new invasion. The two armies clashed near the town of Tabarka near the modern Algeria–Tunisia border, where a choke point exists between the Mediterranean sea and the Aurès Mountains. The battle - described as "fierce" - ended in a victory for the Umayyads, the death of Dihya, and the end of organized Berber resistance to the Umayyad invasion.
Sources agree that the battle resulted in the death of Dihya, but disagree on whether she committed suicide or was slain in battle. Likewise, sources disagree on whether Dihya's two sons - both of who survived the battle - converted to Islam before the battle and fought against their mother or converted after the battle in exchange for their lives being spared.