french military victories

[Az]

they could cross the med, and then be supplied from Spain, to cross the mountains into france.

[Ramo]

Actually, the Arabs did conquer part of France - it was basically the Western part of the strip of France bordering the Mediterranean.

SUPPLY LINES!

Supply lines?!?!? The Arab forces were small numbers (by any reasonably modern standard) of light cavalry. What do these armies need supplied? Do you think horses run on petroleum?

[Bosh]

And the French won the battle of Poitiers, stopping the Arabs from taking Western Europe

Most over-rated battle EVER, the Arabs were a relatively small raiding force not anything resembling a large conquering army.

[Ramo]

I think it strengthened Charles Martel's rule domestically and therefore insured that the Arabs would never be able to successfully invade France.

[TheStinger]

Originally posted by Boshko

Most over-rated battle EVER, the Arabs were a relatively small raiding force not anything resembling a large conquering army.

I dunno, the amount written about US civil war seems to be out of all proportion to their significance

[Imran Siddiqui]

Do you think horses run on petroleum?

Now there is an interesting thought .

Sten:

And yes, Romans are not Italians. Italians are the mix of mainly Roman and Gothic blood, but more Goth than Roman.

[Bosh]

I dunno, the amount written about US civil war seems to be out of all proportion to their significance

Yeah, but at least there were real armies there

Italians are the mix of mainly Roman and Gothic blood, but more Goth than Roman.

Not really, the Goth invading armies were too small to have that much effect on Italian genetics, I'd say that there's more Greek, Semitic and Lombard blood in modern Italians than Goth.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Actually the Goths did have a large effect on Italian genetics, especially the higher ups (which for all intents and purposes really matter ).

The Lombards also have a substantial role, but they are influenced heavily by Goths as well.

[Drake Tungsten]

And yes, Romans are not Italians. Italians are the mix of mainly Roman and Gothic blood, but more Goth than Roman.

Thanks for taking care of business for me, Imran.

[Az]

Supply lines?!?!? The Arab forces were small numbers (by any reasonably modern standard) of light cavalry. What do these armies need supplied? Do you think horses run on petroleum?

they were small numbers? then what's all the fuss about?

[Ben Kenobi]

*blatantly obvious straight line*

IT'S A FRENCH MILITARY VICTORY!

[Ramo]

they were small numbers? then what's all the fuss about?

In general, medieval armies had been rather small. Part of it is due to the development of the heavy cavalry as the main element in a battle after the Latifunda system institutionalized serfdom and insured a strong aristocracy, the barbarian invasions necessitated an effective tool against light cavalry (heavy cavalry of course), and technological innovations made heavy cavalry much more powerful (stirrup, etc.). And of course heavy cavalry requires a lot of resources on the part of the nobility, so the the central government by nature can't field effective infantry forces.

Also, the Roman world was just hit by a bubonic plague epidemic. This guaranteed the Arab conquests in Persia, the East Roman Empire, North Africa, and of course Spain, despite the relatively small number of invaders.

[Az]

wait a sec, what year are we talking about, again?

[Ramo]

Poitiers was ~early 8th century IIRC. But I'm describing the Arab conquests in general.

[Bosh]

Also, the Roman world was just hit by a bubonic plague epidemic. This guaranteed the Arab conquests in Persia, the East Roman Empire, North Africa, and of course Spain, despite the relatively small number of invaders.

Also the minor and short-lived disagreements that Byzantium had with the Sassanids contributed to this somewhat...