Muslim World
The Frankish Flame Goes Out: The Battle of Dijon and the Death of Pepin, the Resistant
May 13, 741 - Dayjun
Pepin arrives at Dijon and traditionally demands the capitulation of the garrison of 4,600 men in the city, he receives an already expected refusal, soon, he puts siege to the city.
The city had its fortifications strengthened and stockpiled supplies, Pepin knows that it will not be easy to succumb to the city, but it is something he must do. The siege engines begin their work as the catapults fire against the walls.
June 4, 741 - Dayjun
After 3 weeks of siege, the situation was promising, costly? Yes, but promising.
The defenders have already repelled four assaults, but they have incurred large costs in the process, with each assault the franks becoming increasingly close to take the walls. The franks have much more to spend than the defenders, this is also a fact. Pepin believes that the next assault in the city will end with a total victory of his forces. And with that, he can save Paris and the glory of the franks once for all. But a little surprise would come to him.
June 8, 741 - Dayjun
At 5:00 AM, this surprise arrives to Pepin, a large army, counting 42 thousand men, arrives to save the city, in his command, the ultimate saracen, Uqba.
Pepin immediately orders an attack to prevent the total deployment of the enemy troops, however, the troops are quickly repelled and persecuted by the moorish cavalry.
The moorish infantry then positioned itself by pressing the right flank of Pepin's troops, while the arab infantry made the front line against the franks. On the left flank, Pepin got close to an breakthrough, but it was quickly stopped with the return of the moorish cavalry. The rest of the morning would be marked by Pepin's attempts to get a quick definition of the battle, with all of them failing and costing important lives.
Around noon, Uqba realizes that his plan has worked, to make Pepin's forces bleed in the face of the numerical and situational superiority of his forces, Uqba orders a full assault on Pepin's forces. Despite this, the main point of his strength, the cavalry, is dragged into combat with the frank cavalry, preventing its full use.
The pressure despite the weariness is insured well by the Franks, but despite this, the most experienced moorish cavalry was out of action thanks to the frankish knights leaving them occupied, that was a decisive factor in the sucess of the franks.
At 3:00 PM the arabs were almost able to breakthrough the right flank, but the brave men guarding it would not easily succumb, with a bloody battle beginning for the control of the right flank. Uqba then sends more men to press the same.
Shortly afterwards, a new fighter emerges, the moorish cavalry, finally succeeding in getting rid of its outspoken counterpart, Pepin's terror was on the field, and then they launch into a charge against Pepin's left flank. Pepin's situation was not totally lost but certainly not good, with blood coming out on the right flank and the left flank suffering to not be razed by the moorish cavalry, using the squares was not so valuable with his troops not being the great soldiers who fought in Barcelona and Carcassone, but peasants who united fearing Muslim rule, despite this, he know that this was the real reason the frankish troops did not collapse, they know what their defeat will bring and want to prevent it at any cost, while a decisive blow not be done, this battle will not be decided so soon.
However, at about 5:20 PM, this decisive blow seems to have arrived, descending from the walls, the garrison of Dijon attacks the frank rear, which quickly succumbs to the unexpected attack. Both flanks collapse and from a patriotic battle and last stand against the muslims, it all becomes a sore bloodbath. Pepin is killed in the process, and at the end of the day, a moorish soldier surrenders his body to Uqba, who orders a burial to him. Speaking the following words:
"Brave men have to be recognized for their deeds, this is an example of a brave, devout and respectable man. I would like to have time to talk to him, but franks always bring armies to meet me, what choice do i have other than to defeat them?"
And so, Uqba is appointed to temporary governor of Al-Faransa until one appointed by the Caliph is commanded, the old lombard territories are invaded by the Byzantines shortly after the news of the frank defeat spread. But this also puts the descendants of Rome on the alert, with one of the first acts of Constantine V being the preparation for a future counter-offensive against the muslim expansionists.