Visigothic Kingdom
Spain, 476 CE–718 CE. Draft, not yet reviewed
The Visigothic Kingdom occupied what is now southwestern France and the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th to the 8th century. The Western Roman Empire fell in 476 AD, and the Visigoths believed they had the right to take the territories that Rome had promised in Hispania. Most of the Visigothic Kingdom was conquered by Umayyad troops from North Africa in 711 to 719, with only the northern reaches of Hispania remaining in Christian hands.
Seat of power: Toledo
Rulers
Euric
king of Wisigoths, 466 CE–484 CE
Euric ruled as king of the Visigoths from 466 until his death in 484, after murdering his brother Theodoric II. Sidonius Apollinaris described him as determined, intelligent, but also a tyrannical pursuer of Catholic bishops.
Portrait of Euric: Manuel Rodríguez de Guzmán, Public domain, file
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Alaric II
king of Wisigoths, 484 CE–507 CE
He established his capital at Aire-sur-l'Adour in Aquitaine. His dominions included the majority of Hispania, Gallia Aquitania and the greater part of Gallia Narbonensis.
Portrait of Alaric II: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file
Amalaric
king of Wisigoths, 510 CE–531 CE
In 522 the young Amalaric was proclaimed king, and four years later he assumed full royal power. After the Visigothic army was defeated, he fled south to Barcelona, where he was assassinated by his own men.
Theudis
king of Wisigoths, 531 CE–548 CE
He was the sword-bearer of Theodoric the Great, who sent him to govern the Visigothic kingdom during the minority of Amalaric. In 541 he had to confront the Franks, who besieged Zaragoza for forty-nine days.
Athanagild
king of Wisigoths, 555 CE–567 CE
He rebelled against his predecessor, Agila I, in 551, and after the death of Agila in 554 he was sole ruler. During the conflict between the two, a Roman force sent by Justinian seized control of a large portion of Hispania Baetica.
Liuvigild
king of Wisigoths, 568 CE–586 CE
He is known for his Codex Revisus, or Code of Leovigild, a law allowing equal rights between the Visigothic and Hispano-Roman population. He consolidated and expanded Visigothic power by defeating the Suebi, campaigning against the Byzantines in the south, and extending control over Basque territories.
Portrait of Liuvigild: You may select the license of your choice., CC BY-SA 3.0, file
Reccared I
king of Wisigoths, 586 CE–601 CE
In January 587, Reccared renounced Arianism for Chalcedonianism, the single great event of his reign and the turning point for Visigothic Hispania. Like his father, Reccared had his capital at Toledo.
Portrait of Reccared I: Numismática Pliego, CC BY-SA 3.0, file
Witteric
king of Wisigoths, 603 CE–610 CE
He took the throne by leading his troops against King Liuva II and deposing the young king. During his reign, the Visigoths fought the Byzantines.
Portrait of Witteric: Numismática Pliego, CC BY-SA 3.0, file
Sisebut
king of Wisigoths, 612 CE–621 CE
His rule was marked by forced Christian conversion, anti-Judaic measures, Roman-like administration, and intellectual cosmopolitanism. He campaigned successfully against the remnants of Byzantine power in Spania and strengthened Visigothic control over the Basques and Cantabrians.
Portrait of Sisebut: The original uploader was Ex0pos at English Wikipedia., Public domain, file
Suintila
king of Wisigoths, 621 CE–631 CE
Under Suintila there was an unprecedented peace and unity across the Kingdom of the Visigoths. By 624 he was able to muster the forces necessary to retake those lands that had been under the control of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Portrait of Suintila: Numismática Pliego, CC BY-SA 3.0, file
Chindasuinth
king of Wisigoths, 642 CE–653 CE
He took the throne from Tulga in a coup and was elected by the nobles and anointed by the bishops on April 30, 642. His tyrannical and cruel character made the clergy and noblesse submit to him out of fear of execution and banishment. In a short period of time he executed over 200 Goths of the most noble families and 500 more from the petty nobility.
Portrait of Chindasuinth: CNG, CC BY-SA 3.0, file
Recceswinth
king of Wisigoths, 653 CE–672 CE
Under Recceswinth, the Visigothic Kingdom enjoyed an unbroken peace for 19 years, except for a brief rebellion of the Vascons. Beginning in 654 he promulgated a law code, Liber Iudiciorum, to replace the Breviary of Alaric.
Portrait of Recceswinth: Ángel M. Felicísimo from Mérida, España, CC BY 2.0, file
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Wamba
king of Wisigoths, 672 CE–680 CE
During his reign, the Visigothic kingdom encompassed all of Hispania and part of southern Gaul known as Septimania. After taking the throne on 1 September 672, he faced a revolt from Hilderic, governor of Nîmes.
Portrait of Wamba: LeGabrie, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Egica
king of Wisigoths, 687 CE–702 CE
Shortly after taking the throne, he called the Fifteenth Council of Toledo on 11 May 688 and asked the council of bishops to be released from one of two oaths.
Portrait of Egica: Reyes_visigodos_Codex_Vigilanus.jpg: Pertenece al Codex Vigilanus su probable autor sea el monje Vigila o Vigilán der..., Public domain, file
Wittiza
king of Wisigoths, 700 CE–710 CE
He was probably made co-ruler in 694 and was anointed king on 15 or 24 November 700.
Portrait of Wittiza: SIMÕES PETANA, Nuno. autoría propia, Public domain, file
Culture
- The Visigoths also developed the highly influential legal code known in Western Europe as the Visigothic Code, which would become the basis for Spanish law throughout the Middle Ages.
- The Visigothic Code, completed in 654, abolished the old tradition of having different laws for Hispano-Romans and for Visigoths.
- Visigothic churches were built of very finely worked stone. The horseshoe arch was probably adopted later by the Arabs from the Visigoths.
Picture
The Church of San Juan de Baños in Venta de Baños, Spain, dates from 661 and has a horseshoe arch at its portal.
Image: The original uploader was Rafaelji at Spanish Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.