Fraxinet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fraxinet (Arabic, Farakhshanit) was the site of a tenth century Muslim (predominantly of Berber origin) base near modern St. Tropez, in southern France. The named derived from the ancient local village of Fraxinetum.
[edit] History
In about 889 a ship carrying twenty Andalusian adventurers anchored in the Gulf of St. Tropez in Provence.
From this base, Muslims raided the surrounding area, reaching as far as Piedmont in Northern Italy and effectively controlling the Alpine passes between France and Italy. An outpost was established at modern St. Moritz in southern Switzerland.
In 956, John of Gorze was sent as ambassador for Emperor Otto II to the Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III of Córdoba for two years. The purpose of this mission was to stop the attacks made from Fraxinetum.
The Saracens were defeated at the Battle of Tourtour by William I of Provence. They were expelled from Fraxinetum in 975 by an alliance of local French rulers.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- «Note sur le Fraxinet des Maures», Annales du Sud-Est varois, tome XV, 1990, pp. 19-23.
- Mohammed Arkoun, «Histoire de l'Islam et des musulmans en France du Moyen-Age à nos jours», Albin Michel, 2006
- Philippe Sénac, «Islam et chrétiens du Midi (XIIe-XIVe siècle)», Les Cahiers de Fanjeaux, n° 18, Toulouse : Privat, 1983, 435 p.
