How did Christians view the Muslim presence in Spain pre-conquest?

Before the Muslim conquest, Christians in Spain viewed the incoming Muslims as foreign invaders and a religious threat.

In the early 8th century, the Iberian Peninsula, known as Hispania, was predominantly Christian. The Visigothic Kingdom, a Christian Germanic power, ruled the region. The arrival of Muslims, or Moors as they were often called, was seen as an invasion by a foreign power with a different religion, culture, and language. This perception was largely due to the political and religious tensions of the time.

The Visigothic Kingdom was in a state of political instability and fragmentation, which made it vulnerable to external threats. The Muslim forces, under the Umayyad Caliphate, were expanding rapidly across North Africa and into Europe. The Christians in Spain, therefore, viewed the Muslim presence as a significant threat to their political sovereignty and religious freedom. The Muslim forces were seen as invaders who sought to impose their religion and culture on the Christian population.

Moreover, the religious differences between Christianity and Islam further exacerbated these tensions. The Christians in Spain adhered to the Nicene Creed, which affirmed the divinity of Jesus Christ and the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. The Muslims, on the other hand, believed in the oneness of God (Tawhid) and regarded Jesus as a prophet, not divine. These fundamental theological differences led the Christians to view the Muslims as heretics who posed a threat to their religious beliefs and practices.

Furthermore, the Christians in Spain were aware of the Muslim conquests in other Christian territories, such as Syria, Egypt, and North Africa. These regions had been part of the Byzantine Empire, which was a bastion of Christianity. The rapid Muslim conquests in these areas were seen as a direct assault on Christianity. This historical context further fuelled the perception of the Muslims as a religious threat.

In summary, the Christians in Spain viewed the Muslim presence pre-conquest as a foreign invasion and a religious threat. This perception was shaped by the political instability of the Visigothic Kingdom, the rapid expansion of the Muslim forces, the fundamental religious differences between Christianity and Islam, and the historical context of the Muslim conquests in other Christian territories.