"The Saracen Ibn-al-Arabi," says
Eginhard, "came to this town, to present himself before the King. He had
arrived from Spain, together with other Saracens in his train, to
surrender to the King of the Franks himself and all the towns which the
King of the Saracens had confided to his keeping." For a long time past
the Christians of the West had given the Mussulmans, Arab or other, the
name of _Saracens_. Ibn-al-Arabi was governor of Saragossa, and one of
the Spanish-Arab chieftains in league against Abdel-Rhaman, the last
offshoot of the Ommiad caliphs, who, with the assistance of the Berbers,
had seized the government of Spain. Amid the troubles of his country and
his nation, Ibn-al-Arabi summoned to his aid, against Abdel-Rhaman, the
Franks and the Christians, just as, but lately, Maurontius, Duke of
Arles, had summoned to Provence, against Charles Martel, the Arabs and
the Mussulmans.
Charlemagne accepted the summons with alacrity. With the coming of
spring in the following year, 778, and with the full assent of his chief
warriors, he began his march toward the Pyrenees, crossed the Loire, and
halted at Casseneuil, at the confluence of the Lot and the Garonne, to
celebrate there the festival of Easter, and to make preparations for his
expedition thence.
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