a Saracen viceroy in Spain, who revolted and formed an independent principality at Cordova. He had several successors of the same name. The first Abderrahman, in the year 756, became Moorish sovereign of Spain, whither he had fled on the ruin of his family, in the battle of the Zah. He was born at Baghdad, and was a grandson of one of the Omnisid caliphs. A viceroy and captain-general of this name led the Saracens and their followers into France, ravaging the country wherever they came. At length he was met at Tours by Charles Martel, who had received reinforcements of Germans and Gepidic. The Saracen army was totally routed in a general action, and Abderrahman fell in the general slaughter, which the Monkish writers reckon at the exaggerated number of 370,000. This great event, which first broke the power of the Saracens, happened about the year 732 of the Christian era.

ABDELAHMAN III., the most eminent and accomplished of the Moorish sovereigns of Spain. See Spain.