Ten years earlier, Arabs and Africans — "Moors," under the banner of Islam — had "godlessly invaded Spain to destroy it," to quote from the Chronicle of 754. Once on European soil, they "ruined beautiful cities, burning them with fire; condemned lords and powerful men to the cross; and butchered youths and infants with the sword."
After meeting and beating Spain’s Visigothic nobles at the Battle of Guadalete — "never was there in the West a more bloody battle than this," wrote the Muslim chronicler al-Hakam, "for the Muslims did not withdraw their scimitars from them [Christians] for three days" — the invaders continued to penetrate northward into Spain, "not passing a place without reducing it, and getting possession of its wealth, for Allah Almighty had struck with terror the hearts of the infidels."
Such terrorism was intentionally cultivated, in keeping with the Koran (3:151, 8:12, etc.). For instance, the invaders slaughtered, cooked, and pretended to eat Christian captives, while releasing others who, horrified, fled and "informed the people of Andalus [Spain] that the Muslims feed on human flesh," thereby "contributing in no small degree to increase the panic of the infidels," wrote al-Maqqari, another Muslim chronicler.
Contrary to the claim that, seeing Muslim rule was no worse and possibly preferable to Visigothic rule, Spain capitulated easily, even Muslim chroniclers note how "the Christians defended themselves with the utmost vigor and resolution, and great was the havoc that they made in the ranks of the faithful." In Córdoba, for example, a number of Spaniards holed themselves up in a church. Although "the besieged had no hopes of deliverance, they were so obstinate that when safety was offered to them on condition either of embracing Islam, or paying jizya, they refused to surrender, and the church being set on fire, they all perished in the flames," wrote al-Maqqari. The ruins of this church became a place of "great veneration" for later generations of Spaniards, because "of the courage and endurance displayed in the cause of their religion by the people who died in it."
In the end, native Spaniards had two choices: acquiesce to Muslim rule or "flee to the mountains, where they risked hunger and various forms of death." Pelagius, better known as Pelayo (685—737), a relative of and "sword-bearer" to King Roderick, who survived Guadalete, followed both strategies. After the battle, he retreated north, where Muslim rule was still tenuous; there he eventually consented to become a vassal of Munnuza, a local Muslim chief. Through some "stratagem," Munnuza "married" Pelayo’s sister — a matter that the sword-bearer "by no means consented to." Having expressed displeasure at the seizure of his sister, and having ceased paying jizya (tribute), Muslims were sent "to apprehend him treacherously" and bring him back "bound in chains." Unable to fight the oncoming throng "because they were so numerous," Pelayo "climbed a mountain" and "joined himself to as many people as he found hastening to assemble."