Located on the western edge of Europe, Spain became a minor Byzantine territory in the sixth century when Justinian exploited a religious dispute to seize roughly an eighth of the peninsula, deploying the elderly general Liberius with a small force to support an orthodox faction against its Arian Visigothic king. The foothold proved short-lived, as the territory was largely neglected after Justinian's death and the Visigoths moved steadily to reclaim it. Spain later figured in the broader strategic significance of Constantinople's walls, which forced Islamic armies to take the long overland route through North Africa and into the peninsula, a costly overextension that ultimately contributed to the Muslim advance being halted at the Battle of Tours.
What each episode says
Episode 4 (1 mention)
Part of the long route Islamic armies were forced to take around the Constantinople walls and through North Africa before reaching Europe, where they were eventually stopped at the Battle of Tours.
“North Africa and Spain.”
Episode 9 (4 mentions)
Two emissaries from an orthodox faction in Spain appealed to Justinian for help against their Arian king. With only a few hundred men and the octogenarian general Liberius, Justinian seized the opportunity and conquered about an eighth of Spain — Brownworth marveling that almost any other ruler would have dismissed the idea as foolhardy.
“While the Italian campaign was underway, he had received two emissaries from Spain, asking”
“He never launched the expedition to retake Spain because of a manpower shortage due to”
“and was able to win rich territory in Spain with virtually no cost, in the process making”
Episode 10 (2 mentions)
One of Justinian's reconquests, Spain was described as 'virtually ignored' after Justinian's death, with the Visigoths poised to swallow what remained of imperial Spain under Phocas.
“Of Justinian's reconquests, Africa was by far the most stable, Spain was virtually ignored,”
“were poised to swallow what was left of imperial Spain.”
Episode 11 (2 mentions)
“the excharcad of Carthage, then all of Africa and Spain.”
“Spain, Italy, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and North Africa were all gone, never to be retaken.”
Episode 17 (1 mention)
Named alongside North Africa as the roundabout route Islamic armies were forced to take because Constantinople's walls held, with Brownworth arguing this overextension of Muslim forces gave Europe the time needed to resist conquest.
“Forcing the armies of Islam to take the long way through North Africa and Spain”
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