NORTH AFRICA AND SPAIN 27

Africa, and the numbers of his army increased so much that they were doubled. Conflict was constantly renewed

with the more warlike of the desert tribes, but "God was pleased to permit that the Moslems should have every-

where the victory." By the year 702, Musa was joined by the van of the Egyptian army, and a great battle was then fought in the west, in which the Berbers were com-

manded by their famous king Koseylah. The Moslems were entirely victorious, and with the spoils there were taken from the Berbers "innumerable maidens inestim-

able by their beauty and accomplishments." The maidens were distributed amongst the soldiers as wives. This

battle was the prelude of many further African con-

quests, including the conquest of the territory of Morre- kosh. (The town of Morrekosh or Morocco was not founded till near the end of the eleventh century.)

The territory of Northern Africa being conquered, and Arab armies driving all before them to the southern edges of the desert, where, as will presently be seen, the

harried tribes found refuge in the fruitful plains of Negro- land, Musa turned his ambition to the sea. He ordered the building of a dockyard at Tunis, and himself sailed thither. From the moment of the completion of the dock-

yard the port of Tunis became "a place of safety for ships when the winds blew at sea and the waves were

high." Musa ordered the construction of a hundred vessels, and in these preparations passed the remainder of the year 703.

In the year 704 all the best of his army embarked in

an expedition which was called "The Expedition of the

Nobles." They spoiled Sicily and returned safe.

In 705 another expedition against the Berbers was followed by their total submission. In the same year Syracuse was attacked by sea and spoiled. Three years afterwards Sardinia was attacked and immense spoil taken. A great expedition inland to the territory to the south of

Morocco, lying on the slopes of the mountains between it and the desert, and commanding the western road to