The formation of the Visigoth Kingdom is inserted in the process of barbarian invasions, that is, it is one more manifestation of that process of expansion of the Germanic peoples. The Visigothic Kingdom ended in 711 AD with the expeditions of both Berbers and Arabs, beginning what is known as the ‘Islamic invasion’ of the Iberian Peninsula. It is possible that you have ever heard of them, or walking through the streets of some place you have come across the name of some of them without knowing very well. Who were the Gothic Kings and how many were there?. We tell you.
Who were the Gothic Kings?
The goth kings They are nothing more than the new ruling class that installed itself in the Iberian Peninsula after the Barbarian Invasions.
The king was the head or axis on which the government was articulated in the Visigothic kingdom. The monarchy did not have a patrimonial character, that is, the Gothic kings distinguished the monarch’s patrimony (land, gold, slaves, etc.) from the territory that was property of the kingdom (they could neither divide it nor sell it, they could not dispose of the kingdom).
Two periods are usually distinguished: before Leovigildo, in which the monarchy was elective and where the whole of the Visigothic people, that is, the notables of the kingdom, elected the monarch, serving ancient customs. The second supposes the after Leovigildo, in which the elective system passed into the background; yes, the monarch was elected, but there were fewer and fewer who could choose and hereditary systems or mechanisms of association to the throne were imposed.
The aristocracy was both secular and ecclesiastical and was characterized by owning large estates, which is what the documentation of the time called senior gentlemen. They based their power on large property and could have Hispano-Roman or Germanic origin, if they were of Germanic origin, they were normally linked to the King, that is, to the monarchy and his family.
The key element for the consolidation of this kingdom is a legal instrument called patronage, which also gave power to the great members of the aristocracy. Sponsorship was, broadly speaking, entrusting oneself to a patron and becoming legally dependent on him; this concept should not be confused with slavery.
It must be taken into account that the Gothic kings themselves were one more piece of that system. In fact, they were at the top and below them were the dignitaries of the palace (relatives) and then the ecclesiastical aristocracy.
Origin and history of the Gothic Kings
The initial Visigothic settlement gave rise to what historiographically is known as the Visigoth Kingdom of Tolosa (Although they occupy the Iberian Peninsula, they maintain their center and residence in this city, currently French).
This kingdom occupied approximately all the south of France more him center and part of the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula (the current cities of Malaga, Granada, Alicante, etc.). Therefore, his domain was from the interior towards the Pyrenees and towards the Mediterranean coast of the current nations of Spain and France.
This kingdom had its own development until, from the years 505 – 507 AD, another people appeared in France that was consolidated: the Franks (before Merovingians) who, due to different circumstances, began to pressure and attack the Visigoths, which did to abandon their possessions in France and move to the peninsula.
Since the year 507 AD we will know him as Visigoth Kingdom of Toledo. It is at this time that the kingdom reached its maximum political and military splendor, coinciding with the Gothic kings Leovigildo and later his son Recaredo.
How many were the Gothic Kings?
One of the peculiarities of the goth kings is that almost all were assassinated during his reign, which is evidence of the high level of conflict at the time. The total of gothic kings is between 34 or 35 (depending on who we count). We leave you the list below:
- Alaric I (395 – 410 AD)
- Ataulf (410 – 415 AD)
- Sigeric (415 AD)
- Walia (415 – 418 AD)
Visigoth Kingdom of Tolosa:
- Theodoric (418 – 451 AD)
- Turismundo (451 – 453 AD)
- Theodoric II (453 – 466 AD)
- Euric (466 – 484 AD)
- Alaric II (484 – 507 AD)
- Ostrogothic ‘intermediate’:
- Gesaleic (507 – 510 AD)
- Amalric (510 – 531 AD)
- Theudis (531 – 548 AD)
- Theudisclo or Teudiselo (548 – 549 AD)
Visigoth Kingdom of Toledo:
- Agila I (549 – 551 AD)
- Atanagildo (551 – 567 AD)
- Liuva I (567 – 572 AD)
- Leovigild (572 – 586 AD)
The latter is probably the most important of the Gothic kings. He had three goals:
- Occupy and control Andalusia (rich area).
- Incorporate the territory in the hands of the Swabians: north of Portugal and the current Galicia.
- Try to control the Basque and Cantabrian territories outside the Roman presence and the Germanic peoples; Although he does not control them, he manages to keep them from bothering them.
In 7-8 years he came to control almost the entire peninsula (except the Byzantium area). After occupying almost the entire territory, he tried to establish a hereditary monarchy, associating his sons to the throne: he entrusted the administration of the southern peninsula to the eldest son and the center and east of the peninsula to the youngest son.
In addition, he imposed tributes or taxes initiating a ‘fiscal system reform’ that allowed him to improve income. He administratively reorganized the territory, which maintained the Roman order of dioceses and provinces. He modified these structures, placing a nobleman, a tycoon, a military lord and a civilian at the head of each territory, so that there was a counterweight.
started a process of consolidation of the city of Toledo: until now the court did not have a stable residence and Leovigildo realized that Toledo was a perfect city to control the others: it was well defended, in the center of the kingdom and it was necessary for the kingdom to recognize a place as the seat of the political power. He endowed it with palaces, churches, squares, etc. that made Toledo a city of government and important.
Until then, all the Germanic kingdoms used the Roman currency as currency for the sale and purchase (minted in Rome and with the image of Rome and Constantinople). With Leovigildo replace the Roman/Byzantine ones with the Gothic ones.
If there was a ceremonial among the Gothic kings, it is because Leovigildo incorporated the sacralization of the monarchendowing it with an idea that will mature over the centuries, which is that of the almost divine origin of the monarch that was not consolidated with him.
Other Gothic kings are:
- Recared (586 – 601 AD)
- Liuva II (601 – 603 AD)
- Witeric (603 – 610 AD)
- Gundemaro (610 – 612 AD)
- Sisebutus (612 – 621 AD)
- Reccared II (621 AD)
- Suíntila (621 – 631 AD)
- Hissing (631 – 636 AD)
- Khíntila (636 – 639 AD)
- Tulga (639 – 642 AD)
- Khindasvinto (642 – 653 AD)
- Reccession (653 – 672 AD)
- Wamba (672 – 680 AD)
- Erwig (680 – 687 AD)
- Aegean (687 – 700 AD)
- Witiza (700 – 710 AD)
- Rodrigo (710 – 711 AD)
From the Gothic kings, we go on to learn the Greek and Roman goddesses in the following post: