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To know the origin of the Visigoths we must go back to the year 370
when the Huns began advancing from the steppes of Asia to Europe, thus
pushing a series of barbarians who were between them and the Roman
Empire.
One of those people were the Visigoths, who asked the Emperor Flavius
Julius Valens (emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire) passing the Roman
peoples. This step granted settling them in Thrace , but the incompetence
and evil of imperial officials on such people, ignited a firestorm. This made
the emperor himself was put to the front of the battle, in which he was
wounded and later died burned (done that shocked the Romans, being the
Adrianople in 378.
The Emperor Flavius Julius Valens (emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire)
exchange would provide recruits to the army. But in 395, Alaric (king of the
which demanded more land, granting Epirus and Ililicum. After that in the
year 400 he decided to march towards the West, where we find the
camp and taking a big booty and making family hostage Visigoth king.
Following this Alaric decides to retire, but in the year 408 returned to
Rome and this was sacked by his troops and the slaves who lived in it were
released, spending most freely to belong to the army of the Visigoth king.
The following year he demanded that impeached Honorio (Roma) and placed
to Prisco and so did the Senate, but negative from Africa made the
On 10 August 410 Rome was sacked and burned for the third time after
it tried to take a boat and go to Africa to end the uprising but became ill
and died.
The Visigoths began a search for land on which to settle and feed its
population, sometimes under pressure from other people and the same
Roman army. But the truth is that of all the Germanic peoples, the Goths
were those most attracted to the Roman culture and the fact that most
Romanized felt.
In fact it seems that the Visigoths thought not settle here when they
entered the early V century, but its intervention was intended to "restore
order", that is, to eliminate the Swabians invaders, Vandals and Alans on
Indeed, the Visigoths had reached a pact with the Romans by pledging
to fight against the people who threatened the Empire, in exchange for
land on which to settle and wheat to feed. Thus, they stormed the Peninsula
Once fulfilled its function retreated to Gaul where they were given
land and settled as federated the Roman Empire, taking as its capital
Tolosa.
movements in the Tarraconense. But this time not removed immediately but
The Visigoths in Hispania finally settled when the Franks defeated and
defend the interests of his grandson Amalric, who was a child, becoming
Hispanics were good and were integrated. For it allowed marriages between
two people (that were forbidden by the ancient Roman law, later collected
by the Visigoth king Alaric), was tolerant of Catholics (the Visigoths had
administration and to satisfy the nobles of the Peninsula gave them civil
charges.
One of them, Atanagildo, sought help from Byzantium to defeat his rival,
Agila. The Byzantines responded quickly and defeated Agila, but also
occupied the entire coastal area of southeast, very quickly and without
Atanagildo and clashed with the Byzantines, but failed to drive them out;
3.-POLITICAL ORGANIZATION
freemen, in which resided the power of the kingdom, which was given to a
The king's powers were broad: supreme judge, army chief legislator, in
Were part of the Officium characters of high rank, with the title of
THE SOCIETY
THE KING
They enjoyed own laws (known as privileges) and paid no taxes. They
were a very small part of the population, owned large tracts of land
group in the countryside and in cities and did not have any privileges.
descendants of slaves.
There was also what was known as BUCELARIOS they were free men
THE ECONOMY
highlighted crops vines and olive trees which continued to trade in the form
of wine and oils of different kind. leguminous vegetables and fruit trees
Cartaginense were already famous for their vegetables and fruit. Honey
The craft went into decline, only metallurgy, metalwork and pottery
trade relations with Byzantium, Italy and France. From these places they
were sent to the mainland luxury goods like jewelry, dresses and fabrics of
and supply of its inhabitants. Products imported and exported served them
both to meet their own needs to open up trade routes and economic
The economy in the kingdom was not very advanced but was
commercial activity.
Sigerico (415) - Come to power through a coup, his reign lasted only
seven days.
Eurico code
Breviary of Alaric
Regency
- Teodorico assumed the regency during the minority
Teodorico (511-
of Amalric.
526)
Capital in Toledo
Leovigild (572- - Its main goal was the unification of the peninsula.
586)
- Promotes internal drive reforming the Code of
Eurico, repealing the prohibition of mixed marriages
between Christians and Arians and restructuring the
administration.
Conversion to Catholicism
Ervigio (680-
- Softening the military law of Wamba,
687)
Witiza (700-710) - Start the reign pardoning all Egica convicted for
participating in the various conspiracies that had put
down during his reign.
legitimately elected then, after his death, though he had decided it was his
son who took the reins of power, a group of nobles refused to obey the will
they decided to seek help from Muslim North Africa contacting through a
dealer. These would help Muslims to take the peninsula in exchange for
And so, Muslims entered the peninsula, ending the last king of the
During the course of the battle he is known that the last monarch died,
abandoned by his troops and those who placed him on the throne in the
THE
KEY
WORDS
THE ARIANISM
God is a unique being that exists as three distinct persons: the Father, the
The Arianism says that Jesus, as the Son of God, was created by God.
In some groups of early Christians it was taught that Christ had pre-
Arius believed that God the Father and God the Son had not always
existed together, 5 but that the Logos was a divine being created by God
faith) and the Arian position was in the minority and was declared
heterodox or heretical.
“AULA REGIA”
An AULA REGIA (lat. for "royal hall"), also referred to as a palas hall,
the palace nobles (magnates), some dukes, counts, bishops and ecclesiastics.
LIBER IUDICIORUM
Spanish, Libro de los Jueces, Book of the Judges), also called Lex
In 654 his son, king Recceswinth (649-672), published the enlarged law
code, which was the first law code that applied equally to the conquering
Goths and the general population, of which the majority had Roman roots,
The code abolished the old tradition of having different laws for
Romans (leges romanae) and Visigoths (leges barbarorum), and under which
all the subjects of the Visigothic kingdom would stop being Romans and
Goths instead becoming hispani. In this way, all subjects of the kingdom
were gathered under the same jurisdiction, eliminating social and legal
As such, the Code marks the transition from the Roman law to
The following is a list of the books and titles which form the Visigothic
Code.
Book XI: Concerning the Sick and the Dead and Merchants who Come
from Beyond
COUNCILS OF TOLEDO
took place in the city of Toledo throughout the Visigoth period, although
The components of these meetings were the Visigoth king, nobility and
high hierarchy constituted by the bishops. That is, they were formed by
The king was responsible for announcing the council when considered
It was developed and ceremonially opening the king read a prayer and then
addressed and resolved. The decisions were taken at the sessions included
They were held in all 18 Councils of Toledo, between 397 and 702, although
crowns and gold crosses that had originally been offered to the Roman
The most valuable of all is the votive crown of king Reccewinth with its
blue sapphires from Sri Lanka and pendilia. Though the treasure is now
divided and much has disappeared, it represents the best surviving group of