[1] E.g., Alhorr ibn Abdurrahman (717-719); see Isidore, sec. 44, and Conde, i. 94:  “He oppressed all alike, the Christians, those who had newly embraced Islam, and the oldest of the Moslemah families.”

    [2] Merely a small poll-tax (jizyah) at first.

    [3] Conde, i. 105.

    [4] Conde, i. p. 99.  Isidore, however, sec. 52, says: 
    “Vectigalia Christianis duplicata exagitat.”

    [5] Conde, i. 102.

[6] Isidore, sec. 54.  Terribilis potestator fere triennio crudelis exaestuat, atque aeri ingenio Hispaniae Sarracenos et Mauros pro pacificis rebus olim ablatis exagitat, atque Christianis plura restaurat.

    [7] Conde, i. 114, 115.

Most of the first conquerors of the country were Berbers, while such Arabs as came in with them belonged mostly to the Maadite or Beladi faction.[1] The Berbers, besides being looked down upon as new converts, were also regarded as Nonconformists[2] by the pure Arabs, and consequently a quarrel was not long in breaking out between the two parties.

As early as 718 the Berbers in Aragon and Catalonia rose against the Arabs under a Jew named Khaulan, who was put to death the following year.  In 726 they revolted again, crying that they who had conquered the country alone had claims to the spoil.[3] This formidable rising was only put down by the Arabs making common cause against it.  But the continual disturbances in Africa kept alive the flame of discontent in Spain, and the great Berber rebellion against the Arab yoke in Africa was a signal for a similar determined attempt in Spain.[4] The reinforcements which the Khalif, Yezid ibn Abdulmalik, sent to Africa under Kolthum ibn Iyadh were defeated by the Berbers under a chief named Meysarah, and shut up in Ceuta.

[1] The two chief branches of Arabs were (1) Descendants of Modhar, son of Negus, son of Maad, son of Adnan.  To this clan belonged the Mecca and Medina Arabs, and the Umeyyade family.  They were also called Kaysites, Febrites, and Beladi Arabs. (2) Descendants of Kahtan (Joktan), among whom were reckoned the Kelbites and the Yemenites.  These were most numerous in Andalus; see Al Makkari, ii. 24.

    [2] Dozy, iii. 124.  See Al Makk., ii. 409, De Gayangos’ note. 
    Though nominally Moslem, they still kept their Jewish or Pagan
    rites.

[3] See De Gayangos, Al Makk. ii. 410, note.  He quotes Borbon’s “Karta,” xiv. sq. Stanley Lane-Poole, “Moors in Spain,” p. 55, says, Monousa, who married the daughter of Eudes, was a leader of the Berbers.  Conde, i. 106, says, Othman abi Neza was the leader, but Othman an ibn abi Nesah was Ameer of Spain in 728.

    [4] Al Makkari, ii. 40.

Meanwhile in Spain, Abdalmalik ibn Kattan[1] Alfehri taking up the cause of the Berbers, procured the deposition of Okbah ibn ulhejaj in his own favour, but, this done, broke with his new allies.  He was then compelled to ask the help of the Syrian Arabs, who were cooped up in Ceuta, though previously he had turned a deaf ear to their entreaties that they might cross over into Spain.