The decision to return to France. ages. As we have just said, the perhaps unexpected news of the Saxon rebellion changed the course of events when Charles decided to return to his homeland. The brief news was already given in the Annales Regii: Ibi obsides receptos de Ibin al Arabi et de Abutauro (Abu Thawr) y de multis Sarracenis... (Annales Regii). The ages having then been received from Ibn al Arabi and from Abutauro and from many Saracens... The Annales Pectiviani adds some further details but without clarifying the question of where the ages were delivered, whether during the trip to Zaragoza or now upon abandoning the siege. Deinde accepit obsides in Hispania de civitatibus Abitauri atque Ebilarbii quorum vocabolum est Osca et Barzelona necnon et Gerunda. And ipsum Ebilarbium (Ibn al-Arabi) vinctum duxit in Franciam . (Annales Pect aviani, ed. Bouquet , Recueil... V, p. 14). He then received ages from Hispania, from the cities of Abitaurus and Ezirlabio, which are called Huesca, Barcelona and Gerona. And he took the defeated Ibn al-Arabi to France. The Annales Laureshamenses only refer to the news of the Saracen chief being taken to France: Et ibi venit ad eum Abinalarbi, alter rex Sarracenorum quem et fecit adducere in Francia . (Annales Laureshamenses). And then he went to Ibn al-Arabi, another Saracen king, whom he had taken to France. The news of the Saxon uprising, which precipitated the outcome of the siege of Zaragoza and the capture of Ibn al-Arabi, is given in detail by the Annales Anniani. Et dum in illis partibus moraretur Saxones, perfida gens, menciens fidem, eggressi de finibus suis, venerunt usque ad Renum fluvium, incendendo omnia atque vastando; et cum reverterentur cum preda magna, pervenit nuncius ad Karolum regem adhuc in Spania degente. Quo audito, festine reversus est in Franciam. (Ann. Annian.). And while he was there, the Saxons, treacherous and false people, leaving their limits, came to the Rhine River, burning everything and devastating it; And as he was retreating with his immense booty, word reached King Charles, who was still in Spain. Upon hearing it, he hurried back to France. The Chronicle of Moissiacense expresses itself in similar terms, as it says, as we translate, that while he was in those places, the perfidious Saxon race, breaking their word, left their borders and reached the Rhine, burning and devastating everything. And as King Charles was already returning with a great deal of booty, a messenger reached him while he was still in Spain. Upon hearing the news, he hastened his return to France (Chron. Moissiac., Bouquet V, p. 70). Charles now finds himself in enemy country two completely different sectors: the domains of Abu Thawr and Ibn al-Arabi, the regions of Huesca, Gerona, and Barcelona, and the restless land of the Basques. Now the two great armies formed one under the direct command of the Emperor. They needed more than a week to reach the Pyrenees by the shortest route, Somport or Roncesvalles. According to the texts we have just transcribed, the Muslim leaders Suleim ibn al-Arabi, from Barcelona and Gerona, and Abu Thawr, from Huesca, would have, according to some, handed over the ages in Pamplona, and during the expedition, in Barcelona and Huesca, according to others. But we have already seen that the Annales Regii and the Mettenses record that it was in Zaragoza. This places us in the dilemma of accepting one of these three solutions: 1. The Arab leaders handed over ages during the trip to Zaragoza, in Barcelona, Gerona, and Huesca. 2. The Arab leaders go to Pamplona when Charles has taken the city to pay their respects and hand over the ages. 3. They hand over the ages in Zaragoza, given the failure of the operation and the decision to return once the Saxon rebellion has been put down. All three solutions are possible, although the third seems most in keeping with the events. In the latter case, as the siege was very long, the events will culminate with the capture of Suleiman Ibn al-Arabi himself as a much more valuable pledge to ensure their retreat via Somport or Pertus.