732
Battle of Tours (Battle of Poitiers)
The setting
Between Tours and Poitiers, near Moussais-la-Bataille, west-central France
Hilly, wooded ground near the confluence of the Clain and Vienne rivers, chosen to favour defending infantry.
Reveal the outcome
Recorded sideFrankish realm (Charles Martel, with Aquitanians under Odo)
Recorded resultvictory
Decisive Frankish victory; the Umayyad commander Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi was killed and the raiding army withdrew.
How the atlas explains it
Charles Martel formed a dense, disciplined infantry square on wooded high ground that absorbed repeated Umayyad cavalry charges without breaking; the death of Abd al-Rahman and concern for their plunder led the leaderless Umayyad force to withdraw overnight.
What followed
Halted the northward advance of Umayyad raiding into Frankish Gaul and bolstered the prestige of Charles Martel, helping lay the foundation for Carolingian power.