country; and in 709,--"the last of the Goths,"--was crowned
at Toledo, King of all Spain.

But the struggle was not over; and it was about to lead to a result
which is one of the most momentous in the history, not alone of
Spain,--nor yet of Europe,--but of _Christendom_. Witiza was dead, but
his two sons, with a formidable following, were still trying to work
the ruin of Roderick. A certain Count Julian, who, on account of
his daughter Florinda, had his own wrongs to avenge, accepted the
leadership of these rebels. The power of the Visigoths had extended
across the narrow strait (cut by the Phenicians) over to the opposite
shore, where Morocco seems to be reaching out in vain endeavor to
touch the land from which she was long ago severed; and there, at
Tangiers, this arch-traitor laid his plans and matured the scheme of
revenge and treachery which had such tremendous results for Europe.
With an appearance of perfect loyalty he parted from Roderick, who
unsuspectingly asked him to bring him some hawks from Africa when he
returned. Bowing, he said: "Sire, I will bring you such hawks as never
were seen in Spain before."

For one hundred years an unprecedented wave of conquest had been
moving from Asia toward the west. Mahommedanism, which was destined to
become the scourge of Christendom, had subjected Syria, Mesopotamia,
Egypt, and northern Africa, until it reached Ceuta--the companion
Pillar to Gibraltar on the African coast.

At this point the Goths had stood, as a protecting wall beyond which
the Asiatic deluge could not flow.

Count Julian was the trusted military commander of the Gothic
garrisons in Morocco, as _Musa_, the oft-defeated Saracen leader,
knew to his cost. As this Musa was one day looking with covetous eyes
across at the Spanish Peninsula, he was suddenly surprised by a visit
from Count Julian; and still more astonished when that commander
offered to surrender to him the Gothic strongholds _Tangier_,
_Arsilla_, and _Ceuta_ in return for the assistance of the Saracen
army in the cause of Witiza's sons against Roderick.

Amazed at such colossal treason, Musa referred Count Julian to his
master the Khalif, at Damascus, who at once accepted his infamous
proposition. In Spanish legend and history this man is always
designated as _The Traitor_, as if standing alone and on a pinnacle
among the men who have betrayed their countries.

Musa, half doubting, sent a preliminary force of about five hundred
Mo