Chapter 3

Landing of Abdurrahman--Khalifate of Cordova--Condition of Christians--Proselytism--Apostates--Arabs and Spaniards--Evidence of Christian writers--Condition of the people--Serfs--No revolts--No solidarity with the Christians in the North--Relations with Arabs at first friendly--The jehad in Spain--Martyrs in battle--Fabulous martyr--Anambad, first martyr--Peter of Najuma--No other till 824--John and Adulphus--Causes of Martyrdoms--Amalgamation of the two peoples--Intermarriage--Children of mixed parents--Nunilo and Alodia--Mania for martyrdom--Voluntary martyrdoms--The Spanish confessors--Threatened deterioration in the Church--Christianity infected with Moslem customs--Religious fervour in convents--Fanaticism, of monks--Fresh martyrs--Perfectus, John, Isaac--Arab inability to understand the motives of these martyrs--Causes of fanaticism--Sanctus--Peter--Walabonsus, etc 25-40