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Visigothic Kingdom

Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience

Map showing the territory of the ancient Visigothic kingdom in Europe.

The Visigothic Kingdom, also called Visigothic Spain or the Kingdom of the Goths, was a kingdom that ruled parts of what is now southwestern France and the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th to the 8th century. It was one of the kingdoms that rose after the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

The kingdom began when a group called the Visigoths, led by King Wallia, settled in a region called Gallia Aquitania in southwest Gaul. Over time, they expanded their rule to cover most of Hispania.

The Visigoths were central Europeans who had moved west from the Danube Valley. They worked with the Roman Empire and helped protect it from other groups like the Vandals, Alans, and Suebi. After the Western Roman Empire fell in 476 AD, the Visigoths took control of lands in Hispania.

Later, the Visigothic Kingdom moved its capital to Toledo in Hispania. By the 7th century, they controlled most of the Iberian Peninsula. However, in the early 8th century, the kingdom was taken over by soldiers from North Africa. After this, a small area in northern Spain became the start of what later was called the Kingdom of Asturias.

The Visigoths also made important laws that influenced later Spanish law. Their legal code, known as the Visigothic Code, helped shape how people lived for many years.

History

Federate kingdom

From 407 to 409 AD, groups of Vandals, Alans, and Suebi crossed the frozen Rhine and moved through modern France into the Iberian Peninsula. During this time, the Visigoths, led by Alaric, sacked Rome in 410 AD.

Visigothic settlement and the Iberian Peninsula, c. 418

Athaulf, who became king of the Visigoths from 410 to 415, spent several years in the Gallic and Hispanic areas, using diplomacy to navigate between different groups. He eventually married Galla Placidia, sister of Western Roman emperor Honorius, who then asked Athaulf to help regain control of Hispania from other groups.

In 418, Honorius rewarded the Visigothic federates under King Wallia by giving them land in the Garonne valley of Gallia Aquitania to settle. This marked the beginning of their independent rule in that region.

Kingdom of Toulouse

Theodoric I by Fabrizio Castello (1560–1617)

In 466, Euric became king of the Visigoths. Under his rule, the Visigoths expanded their control in Gaul and the Iberian Peninsula. Euric fought wars with the Suebi and took over much of Hispania Tarraconensis by 472. By 476, he had extended his rule to parts of southern Gaul, including key cities like Arles and Marseille. His son Alaric II issued new laws and held a church council at Agde.

However, conflict arose with the Franks under King Clovis I. After a war with the Franks, Alaric II was killed in battle in 507, and the Visigoths lost most of their Gallic territories except for Septimania in the south.

Arian Kingdom of Hispania

After Alaric II's death, his son Gesalec took power but was later deposed by Theodoric the Great of the Ostrogothic Kingdom. Theodoric installed Amalaric, Alaric II's son, as king. Amalaric's rule was short-lived, as he was defeated and killed by the Frankish king Childebert I in 531.

Theudis then became king and expanded Visigothic control in southern regions until he was murdered after a failed invasion of Africa. Civil war followed under King Agila I, prompting the Byzantine Empire to establish a small province along the southern Spanish coast.

Catholic Kingdom of Toledo

Liuvigild became king in 569 and was an effective military leader who consolidated Visigothic power in Spain. He campaigned against the Eastern Romans, the Galician Kingdom of the Suebi, and various small independent states. Liuvigild established new cities and secured peace with the Franks through royal marriages.

Liuvigild's son Reccared I converted from Arian to Chalcedonian Christianity in 586, leading to some unrest. He held the Third Council of Toledo in 589, where he announced his new faith and denounced Arianism. Reccared also fought against the Byzantines in Hispania Baetica.

Muslim conquest

In 711, a Muslim leader named Tariq ibn Ziyad invaded Spain with Berber troops while the Visigothic king Roderic was fighting in the north. Roderic was killed in battle at the Guadalete River, and the Muslims quickly took control of much of southern Spain. They captured Toledo and took the lives of several Visigothic nobles.

By 716, most of the Iberian Peninsula was under Islamic rule, though resistance continued in Asturias where a Visigothic nobleman named Pelagius began a rebellion. This marked the start of a long period of resistance known as the Reconquista.

Settlements

The Visigoths settled near the Garonne River between Bordeaux and Toulouse in Aquitaine in the 5th century. They lived there with the Roman Empire, offering places for Roman soldiers.

Later, King Euric made the kingdom bigger. Many Visigoths and others moved to new places. They settled near important Roman cities like Emerita Augusta (Mérida), Barcina (Barcelona), Hispalis (Seville), Toletum (Toledo), and Septimanian Narbonne. They also lived in farming areas between the Douro, Ebro, and Tagus rivers, in places such as Tierra de Campos, Castile and León, and Rioja. After another kingdom fell, some Visigoths moved north of Lisbon, near Porto and Astorga.

Founding of cities

The Visigoths built the only new cities in Western Europe between the fifth and eighth centuries. We know they built four cities for sure, and maybe a fifth.

Church of Santa Maria de Lara, most likely built just before the Muslim invasion

The first city, Reccopolis, was built by Liuvigild in 578. He built it after defeating the Franks. It was near the village of Zorita de los Canes and named after Liuvigild's son, Reccared. The city had a palace and a place to make coins. It was destroyed by the ninth century after the Arab conquest.

Liuvigild later founded a city called Victoriacum to honor his victory over the Basques. Some think this city may be the modern town of Vitoria, though older records say it was founded by Sancho VI of Navarre.

Conversion of Reccared to Chalcedonian Christianity, painted by Muñoz Degrain. Senate Palace Spain.

Liuvigild's son, Reccared, built another city around the year 600. Isidore of Seville called it Lugo id est Luceo. He built it after a victory against the Asturians or Cantabri.

The fourth city, Ologicus, was founded in 621 by Swinthila as a fort against the Basques. It is thought to be the modern town of Olite.

There may have been a fifth city named Baiyara, possibly today’s Montoro, founded by Reccared. This comes from an old book called the Geography of Kitab al-Rawd al-Mitar.

Culture and classical heritage

The Visigoths are sometimes thought of as part of the so-called Dark Ages, a time when people believed culture and learning declined. But this is not true. The Visigoths helped keep older traditions alive.

For example, the love of baths in a place called Andalusia is often thought to have started with Muslims, but it really comes from Roman and Visigothic times. In Visigothic Mérida, there were special baths with water brought in through aqueducts. Similar aqueducts were found in Córdoba, Cádiz, and Recopolis. Digging up old sites shows that Recopolis and Toledo, the Visigothic capital, had buildings that looked like those from the Byzantine Empire. When Muslims came to Spain, they found many beautiful treasures made by the Visigoths. Some of these treasures, like the votive crowns from the treasure of Guarrazar, were hidden away and survived.

Only older monks were allowed to read books by writers who were not Christian, but this did not stop smart people from appearing. One of these was Isidore of Seville, a very well-known learner in the Middle Ages. He wrote a big book called Etymologies, which shared many kinds of knowledge and was read and translated in Europe for years. Eugenius I of Toledo was a teacher of religion and also a poet. He knew a lot about mathematics and astronomy. Theodulf of Orléans was also a teacher of religion and a poet. After he moved to the Frankish kingdom, he helped with a time called the Carolingian Renaissance. A Muslim writer called Visigothic Seville the "abode of the sciences". A book called Institutionum disciplinae from the 600s or 700s shows that Visigothic nobles learned to read, write, and also studied science, medicine, law, and philosophy. One example was King Sisebut, who loved learning and wrote poems, including one about astronomy.

Jews under Visigothic rule

The Visigoths ruled a kingdom where many Jewish people lived. At first, Jewish communities were mostly free to follow their own traditions and laws. Later, the Visigothic kings made new rules that limited what Jewish people could do, especially in religious matters. These rules tried to encourage Jewish people to adopt the Christian faith, which was becoming the main religion of the kingdom.

List of kings

Terving kings

These early leaders were mostly pagans, except for Fritigern and possibly Alavivus.

Balti dynasty

These kings followed a Christian belief called Arianism and often passed the throne to close family members.

Post-Balti kings

After this dynasty, kings were often chosen by others, and only a few passed power to their sons. The kingdom changed to follow Catholic beliefs starting with King Reccared I in 587.

Family tree

The family tree shows the relationships between the rulers of the Visigothic Kingdom. It helps us see how the leaders were connected over time.

Images

A historical map showing the kingdoms and provinces of Spain and Portugal from the early 1700s, including coats of arms.
Ancient golden eagle-shaped brooches from the Visigothic period, decorated with colorful gemstones.
Historical map showing the regions and kingdoms of Hispania in the year 586 AD.
Map showing the provinces of Visigothic Spain around the year 700 AD.
An ancient gold coin from the Visigoths in Spain, showing a detailed portrait from the 6th century.
Ancient Spanish Visigothic gold coins from the 7th century featuring Emperor Justinian I and a cross.
An ancient manuscript illustration from the Códice Albedense, depicting historical or cultural themes.
A historical mural from Qusayr Amra depicting King Roderic, part of the Visigoth heritage.

Related articles

Vandals
Suebi
France
Iberian Peninsula
Western Roman Empire
Hispania

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Visigothic Kingdom, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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