- Sa'dun al Ruayni
Sa'dun al Ruayni was Governor or
Wali of Barcelona from792 to801 and effectively the last Muslim ruler of the city.He was appointed successor to Matruh ben Sulayman al-Arabi c.792 by the Emir of Córdoba. However in 796 he led a revolt against the Emir; in April 797 he travelled to
Aachen and offeredCharlemagne the City's loyalty in exchange for the empire's help against Córdoba.Charlemagne summoned an assembly in Toulouse in the spring of the 800 which agreed to send an expedition led by his son
Louis the Pious to Barcelona. The army included several notable commanders includingRostany Count ofGirona , Ademar Count of Narbonne and William I Count ofToulouse (cousin ofCharlemagne ). However on arriving at Barcelona Sa'dun who had in the meantime been reconciled to the Caliphate refused to open the City Gates. The Frank forces then began a long siege in the autumn of 800. Sa'dun attempted to escape to raise help from Córdoba but was captured by the besieging army. He was replaced as governor byHarun of Barcelona , however the siege was successful and Harun surrendered the city and it's starving population on Saturday,April 3 ,801 . Louis I entered the city on the following day (April 4 ,801 ).
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