The Visigoths are part of the Gothic tribal union, which disintegrated by the third century. They were known in Europe from the second to the eighth century. The Visigoth tribes were able to create their own strong state, compete for military power with the Franks and Byzantines. The end of their history as a separate kingdom is associated with the arrival of the Arabs. The remaining Visigoths, who did not submit to the Muslim world, can be considered the ancestors of the aristocracy of future Spain.
Who are the goths?
From the second century, ancient Germanic tribes called Goths appeared in Europe. Presumably they were of Scandinavian origin. They spoke in the Gothic language. On its basis, Bishop Wulfil developed writing.
The tribal union consisted of three main branches:
- Ostrogoths is a group that is considered the distant ancestors of Italians;
- Crimean Goths - a group that migrated to the Northern Black Sea coast;
- Visigoths - a group that is considered the distant ancestors of the Spaniards with the Portuguese.
origin of name
To better understand who the Visigoths are, you should learn more about the name of the tribe. The exact origin of the name has not been established. But there are several versions. According to one of them, the word “west” comes from the Gothic language “wise”, while “ost” - “brilliant”. According to another version, the word “west” means “noble”, and “ost” means “eastern”.
In the early days, the Visigoths were called tervinges, that is, “people of the forests”, and the Ostrogoths were called the Grevtungs, which meant “inhabitants of the steppes”.
So ready called until the fifth century. Later they began to call them “Western” and “Eastern” Goths. This happened due to the fact that Jordan somewhat rethought the book of Cassiodorus. At that time, the Visigoths controlled the western lands of Europe, and the Ostrogoths controlled the eastern territories.
Union with Rome
The Visigoths began their independent history in the third century, when they crossed the Danube and invaded the lands of the Roman Empire. By this time, they had disconnected from the Ostrogoths. This allowed them to make independent decisions regarding the place of their resettlement and other nuances. Finally, the Visigoths were able to settle on the Balkan Peninsula, after the Romans left it in 270.
Fifty years later, the Visigoths entered into an alliance with Constantine the Great. The emperor granted them federal status, that is, allies. This behavior of Rome was commonplace with the barbarian tribes. By agreement, the Visigoths pledged to protect the borders of the Roman Empire and supply their people for military service. For this, the tribes received an annual fee.
In 376, Germanic tribes suffered greatly from the Huns. They appealed to the ruler Valent, so that he allowed them to settle in Thrace, on the south side of the Danube. The emperor gave his approval. But this led to other troubles.
Due to serious confrontations with the Romans, who began to cash in on the Visigoths, the latter began an open rebellion. It grew into a war, which lasted from 377 to 382. The Visigoths inflicted a severe defeat on the Romans in the battle of Adrianople. The emperor was killed with his commanders. Thus began the fall of the Roman Empire, which no longer controlled the northern borders.
The truce took place in 382. The Visigoths received land, an annual fee for the supply of warriors for the imperial army. The kingdom of the Visigoths gradually began to form.
The reign of Alaric the First
Toward the end of the fourth century, the first Visigoth king was elected. He gained power over the entire tribe. At the same time, by agreement with the empire, the Visigoths supported Theodosius the Great, who fought with Eugene. They suffered serious losses in battle. This was the cause of the rebellion led by King Alaric I.
At first the Visigoths with their king decided to capture Constantinople. But the city was perfectly protected. The rebels changed plans and headed for Greece. They devastated Attica, sacked Corinth, Argos, Sparta. Visigoths drove many inhabitants of these policies into slavery. To avoid looting, Athens had to pay off the barbarians.
In 397, the Roman army surrounded Alaric's army, but he managed to break free. Then the Visigoths invaded Epirus. The hostilities were suspended by the emperor Arkady. He paid off the tribe and awarded Alaric the title of Army Master Illyric.
The conquest of Rome
At the beginning of the fifth century, Alaric decided to go to Italy. Stilicho with his army was able to stop him. After concluding the contract, Alaric returned to Illyric.
A few years later, Stilicho died. This meant the termination of the treaty, and the invasion of the Visigoths in Rome began. In the city, which was besieged by the barbarians, there was not enough food. Soon, the Eternal City surrendered. He had to pay indemnities with values and slaves. Alaric received thousands of pounds of gold, silver, hides, silk dresses, as well as many slaves who were accepted into the Visigoth army.
In addition to values, Alaric requested the emperor Honorius land for his tribe. After receiving the refusal, he again captured Rome. It happened in 410. It is noteworthy that the Germanic tribe did not cause significant damage to the city. From this the conclusion suggests itself that the Visigoths are not representatives of ordinary barbarians. They committed robbery and wanted to get land to create their own kingdom, but did not seek to destroy everything in its path.
The conquest of Aquitaine
After the looting of Rome, Alaric decided to conquer the coast of Africa. The destruction of the fleet due to a strong storm prevented this. Soon the king of the Visigoths also died. His plans were never fulfilled.
The following kings did not rule for long. Researchers attribute this to the fact that they advocated an alliance with Rome. Many noble families were against the treaty with the empire. However, an alliance was nevertheless concluded; it bore fruit. In 418, Emperor Honorius granted a tribe of land in Aquitaine that they could use to settle. From this time the kingdom of the Visigoths began to form.
The center of the kingdom was the city of Toulouse. And the illegitimate son of Alarich Theodorich was elected king. He ruled the Visigoths in Aquitaine for thirty-two years. The ruler pushed the boundaries of his kingdom. His death was associated with the legendary battle against Attila. The Goths and Romans defeated the Huns, but at too much cost.
Further, the kings of the Visigoths succeeded one another. The feud began, which ended after Eurich came to power. The period of his reign is considered the heyday of the Visigoth kingdom. Its territory extended to Southern and Middle Galia, Spain. The kingdom was the largest of all the barbarian powers that formed on the ruins of the former empire.
The Visigoths are a tribe that was able not only to create their own state, but also to draw up their own laws. They were constantly adjusted and updated with new laws. In 654, they formed the basis of the Visigoth truth.
Loss of former power
At the end of the fifth century, the Goths had new enemies - the Franks. The Visigoths realized this in 486, when Clovis I defeated the last influential Roman commander named Siagrius.
Alaric the Second became the ruler of the Visigoths by this time. He maintained good relations with the Ostrogoths, so he took part in the campaign against the Franks in the year 490. But at the beginning of the sixth century, the Franks and Visigoths signed the world.
He lasted five years, until Clovis violated it in 507. The battle of Vouillet led to the fact that the king of the Western Goths died, and his people lost a significant part of their lands in Aquitaine.
The situation worsened after Gezaleh came to power. The king did not want to fight and the Burgundians with the Franks continued to seize the Visigoth kingdom. The situation was corrected by the Ostrogothic ruler. Theodoric the Great was able to stop the advance of the Franks. He began to rule both nations.
The following rulers continued the struggle with the Franks. But they did not achieve much success. In addition, Byzantium became a more powerful enemy. During this period, the Visigoth capital moved first to Narbonne, and later to Barcelona.
The power of the Visigoth kingdom was briefly restored by King Leovigild. He moved the capital to Toledo, began to mint his own coins, took up the laws.
Kingdom of Toledo
Leovigild was the co-ruler of his brother Liuva. He later became the sole ruler. Leovigild became king at the time of political anarchy. The tycoons did not want to reckon with the central government. Each of them turned their lands into a small state.
Leovigild decisively took up the defense of the royal throne. He began to fight with internal and external opponents. He did not restrain himself in this struggle. Many noble Visigoths paid with their lives for their wealth. The king replenished the state treasury by robbing citizens and robbing enemies. Not without rebellion by magnates and peasants. All of them were suppressed, and the rebels were executed.
In his power, the king relied on the lower strata of the population. This limited the power of the magnates, who were dangerous enemies of royalty.
Foreign policy:
- In 570, the war with Byzantium began. Visigoths were able to oust the Byzantines. The latter did not receive help from Constantinople and began to negotiate peace.
- In 579, the king married his eldest son to a Frankish princess. Marriage not only did not lead to the conclusion of peace between peoples, but caused strife in the royal house. This led to a rebellion against the king, which was only crushed in 584. Leovigild had to execute his eldest son.
- In 585, the king subjugated the Suevi, their kingdom ceased to exist.
Leovigild wanted to build a state that would be like Byzantium. He sought to create an empire not only on a territorial basis, but also in appearance. For this, a magnificent palace ceremony was established, the king began to wear a crown, rich robes.
The ruler died with his death in 586. Before that, he destroyed noble families whose representatives could claim the throne. The king was the son of Leovigild Reckared. In foreign policy, he continued the activities of his father.
Gradually, the Frankish state began to push the Visigoths on land. Due to the lack of a serious fleet, the Kingdom of Toledo could not defend its interests at sea.
Some rulers of the Visigoth kingdom:
- Gundemar - fought with the Byzantines and the Basques.
- Sisebut - subjugated rukkons and Asturians, began the creation of a fleet, and prosecuted the Jews.
- Svintila - finally expelled the Byzantines from the Kingdom of Toledo.
- Sisenand - during the reign, the fourth Toledo Cathedral was held, deciding that the Visigoth kings would henceforth be elected at meetings of the nobility and the clergy.
- Hindasvint - struggled with the rebellious nobility, is considered the last strong king of the Visigoths.
- Wamba - strengthened secular power, but not for long, because he was overthrown.
- Ervig - reconciled with the clergy, limited the rights of the Jews, repelled the attacks of the Franks.
- Egik brutally persecuted Jews who were deprived of all rights, sold into slavery, and children from the age of seven were taken from their relatives and given for re-education to Christian families.
The ruler of Wamba was overthrown in a rather cunning way. He was given a drink that made him unconscious. The courtiers decided that the ruler was dead, and dressed him in monastic clothes. It was supposed to be done as usual. As a result, the king transferred to the spiritual rank, having lost power. After Wamba woke up, he had to sign a renunciation and leave for the monastery.
The final fall of the state
At the end of the seventh century, Egik made his co-ruler a son. Later Vititz began to rule on his own. Roderich became the successor of Vititz. At this time, the Visigoths faced a strong enemy - the Arabs.
The leader of the Arabs was Tariq. At the beginning of the eighth century, he crossed with Gibraltar with the army and was able to defeat the Goths in the Guadalete battle. The Visigoth King died in this battle.
Pretty quickly the Arabs managed to conquer the peninsula on which they created the Cordoba Emirate.
The success of the Arab conquest is associated with many factors:
- the weakness of the royal power of the Visigoth kingdom;
- the constant struggle of the Gothic nobility for the throne;
- the conquerors skillfully manipulated the opponents, they offered the Visigoths acceptable conditions for surrender.
Many noble families are ready to accept the new government. They retained their lands, the ability to manage their affairs. They were also allowed to maintain faith.
Visigoths still existed in the northeastern lands. They were able to resist the Arabs and did not let them into their territory. Aguil II became king there. The surviving lands became a springboard for the Reconquista. Also, medieval Spain subsequently appeared from the kingdom.
Beliefs
The Goths were originally pagans. In the first half of the fourth century, they became adherents of the Arian direction of the Christian faith. A priest named Wulfil helped them in this. First, he himself adopted Christianity in Constantinople, and after that he composed the alphabet for the Gothic language. He also translated the Bible into the Gothic language, calling it the "Silver Code."
The Visigoths were Arians until the end of the sixth century, until in 589 the king proclaimed Western Christianity as the main religion. In other words, the Visigoths became Catholics. Towards the end of the existence of the kingdom, the clergy enjoyed significant privileges and had many rights. They could influence the election of the next king.
Achievements
To understand who the Visigoths are, you should learn more about their cultural heritage. It is known that in architecture they used horseshoe-shaped arches, made masonry from ashlar, decorated buildings with floral or animal ornaments. The architecture is ready, as well as the sculpture experienced a significant influence of Byzantine art.
Famous churches of the Germanic tribe:
- San Juan de Banos - was founded under King Reckesvinton in Palencia.
- Santa Comba - created in the eighth century in Ourense.
- San Pedro - established in Zaragoza.
Thanks to the discovery of treasures in Guarrasar, researchers were able to learn a lot about the applied art of the Visigoths. They were buried near Toledo. It is believed that the treasures were gifts from the kings to the church.
All elements were made of gold. They were adorned with precious stones, among which were agates, sapphires, rhinestone, pearls.
The find in Guarrazar was not the only one. In the course of other archaeological excavations, metal, glass, and amber products were discovered. These were beads, buckles, brooches, brooches.
According to the finds, the researchers concluded that in the early period of the Visigoths' existence, they made bronze jewelry. They were decorated with colored inserts of glass, enamel, semiprecious stones of red shades. Products of the late period were created under the influence of Byzantium. They made an ornament inside the plate, the motifs were plant, animal or religious themes.
The most famous find is the crown of Reckesvint. It is made in the form of a wide golden hoop, on which twenty-two pendants of gold letters and precious stones are placed. From the letters you can read the phrase, which translates as “The Gift of King Reckesvint”. The precious crown is suspended by four golden chains, which are fastened at the top by a castle resembling a flower. A chain descends from the center of the castle, at the end of which there is a massive cross. It is made of gold and decorated with sapphires and pearls.