Sa'dun al Ruayni

Who is Sa'dun al Ruayni?

Sa'dun al Ruayni was Governor, or Wali, of Barcelona from 792 to 801 and effectively the last Muslim ruler of the city.

He was appointed successor to Matruh ben Sulayman al-Arabi in circa 792 by the Emir of Córdoba. However, in 796 he led a revolt against the Emir; in April 797 he travelled to Aachen and offered Charlemagne 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 including Rostany, Count of Girona; Ademar, Count of Narbonne; and William of Gellone, Count of Toulouse. 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 in order to raise help from Córdoba, but was captured by the besieging army. He was replaced as governor by Harun of Barcelona, however the siege was successful and Harun surrendered the city and its starving population on Saturday, April 3, 801. Louis I entered the city on the following day.