What did the Muslims capture in Europe?

Here are the key European territories captured by the Muslims:

1. Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal): In 711, Muslim forces led by Tariq ibn Ziyad crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and rapidly conquered most of the Iberian Peninsula. The conquest marked the beginning of the Muslim rule in Spain, known as Al-Andalus, which lasted for several centuries.

2. Southern France: Muslim forces extended their control beyond the Iberian Peninsula and entered southern France. They raided and occupied certain areas of Septimania (present-day Languedoc-Roussillon region). However, their expansion in France was later halted by the Franks, led by Charles Martel, at the Battle of Tours (also known as the Battle of Poitiers) in 732.

3. Sicily: In the 9th century, the Muslim forces of the Aghlabid dynasty from North Africa captured Sicily and made it a Muslim emirate. The island remained under Muslim control for over a century before it was reconquered by the Byzantines in the late 10th century.

4. Malta: The Muslims also captured the island of Malta, which became part of the Muslim domain in the Mediterranean.

5. Crete: In 824, Muslim forces led by Abu Hafs Umar al-Iqritishi took control of Crete and established an independent emirate. Crete became a major naval base for the Muslims in the Mediterranean, posing a threat to Byzantine shipping and trade routes.

6. Parts of Southeastern Europe: Muslim forces also raided and occupied parts of southeastern Europe, including areas of present-day Greece and the Balkans.

The Muslim conquests in Europe were significant as they marked the expansion of Islamic influence and power beyond the Middle East and North Africa. These conquests had a lasting impact on European history, shaping cultural, intellectual, and political developments in various regions.