When Spain was groaning under the tyranny of its Gothic ruler. In May 711, Tariq bin Zaid with 7,000 Moors sailed into Spain from Africa in ships in small contingents. As his troops landed in Europe, Tariq concentrated them on a hill, which took the name of ‘Jabl-ul-Tariq’ (The Rock of Tariq) and urged them either to conquer or perish. The Spanish Gothic King Roderick collected a huge army and Tariq, too was reinforced by 5,000 more soldiers and now his army numbered 12,000. The two armies met at the mouth of river Barbate and fought a decisive battle on July 9th, 711, A.D. The two armies were unequally matched. The Goths were completely routed with terrible losses. King Roderick was drowned in the river. This remarkable victory of Tariq broke the morale of the Spaniards, and they did not dare face the Moors in the open. The armies of Tariq met little resistance in the interior of Spain. His was a triumphant march from place to place in the Peninsula. Tariq had divided his small army into four divisions and directed one of his lieutenants towards Cordova, the other towards Malaga, the third towards Granada and himself at the head of the main body hurriedly marched upon Toledo, the Capital of Spain. All these cities capitulated without much resistance. The Goths were paralysed by Tariq’s movement and the severity of his blows. The Gothic armies fled before him. Primary sources state of the Moorish invaders, “Their faces were as black as pitch”. Tariq was described by witnesses as having a short stature, brown skin, a hooked nose, and woolly hair. This would begin the Moorish occupation of Spain, to which Europe owes greatly the benefits of the Renaissance, which would last well into the 15th Century. The Rock of Gibraltar - the most famous rock in the world is named after him.