European Kingdoms

The Visigoths

The Visigoths were the Western Goths, separated from their Ostrogothic brethren by the divisions caused in the 270s. The kingdom was based north of the Danube, in the region of Bulgaria and Romania.

The Balti Goths (or Balthes, Baltungs, or Balthings) took their name from the Gothic word for bold. They were considered second in status only to the Amali Goths, but the latter were leadings the Ostrogoths so the Balti were able to assume leadership in the west, apart from one brief attempt by the Amali to regain control.

(Additional information taken from The Oxford History of England: Roman Britain, Peter Salway.)

270s

The Tervingi Goths consolidate their realm between the Dniester and the Danube, and become known to the Romans as the Visigoths.

fl 375 - 381

Athanaric

376 - 378

The Visigoths are defeated by the Huns in 376, and flee across the Danube to seek shelter in the Roman empire. Badly treated and starved of supplies, they revolt and ravage the land south of the Danube, killing Emperor Valens in battle. Peace is made and they are allowed to settle in northern Greece, in Thrace and Moesia, charged with defending the Danube.

fl 376 - 382

Fritigern

Rival of Athanaric.

395 - 410

Alaric I (Alareiks)

Balti Goth. Died following a brief illness.

397 - 402

Alaric retreats into Epirus with his Visigoths and the Western Roman military commander Stilicho is forbidden by the Eastern Roman government from pursuing him. Granted the rank of magister militum per Illyricum by the Eastern Romans in about 399 in order to protect the area from takeover by the Western Romans, Alaric leads his people through the Alps and winters in northern Italy in 401. Stilicho collects all his available forces, including units from Britannia, to defeat Alaric in 402, although not decisively.

408

Alaric leads his forces into northern Italy, undefeated by the Romans. The following year Athaulf brings another Visigothic army to reinforce Alaric.

410

Communications (and intrigues) between Rome and the Visigoths break down, so Alaric leads the Visigoths to the sack of Rome. Shortly afterwards, he himself dies.

410 - 415

Athaulf (Adolphus / Ataulfo)

Brother-in-law. m Emperor Honorius’ half-sister, Placidia.

413

Athaulf's accession improves relations with Rome to an extent, and the Visigoths are instrumental in defeating the usurper, Jovinus, on the Rhine. The Visigoths subsequently move south, accompanied by an important group of Alans.

415

Sigeric

Amali Goth. Assassinated by the Balti Goths.

415 - 417

Wallia (Vallia)

Balti Goth. Helped establish the Visigoths in Aquitaine.

417 - 418

One of Wallia's grandsons is Ricimer, who is the power behind the throne of the Western Roman empire during its last days. Allowed by the emperor to settle in southern Gaul in a treaty signed in 418, Theodoric founds the kingdom of the Visigoths.

The Visigoth Kingdom
AD 418 - 711

The Visigothic kingdom of Tolosa (Toulouse) was created, with the consent of Rome, in the province of Gallia Aquitania, a large and rich region stretching from the Lower Loire to the Garonne in south-western Gaul. The Roman domain of Soissons was located to the immediate north. The Visigoths immediately forced out the Alans and Vandals, and these groups then headed southwards into Hispania. As part of their settlement agreement with Rome, the Visigoths were obliged to provide military support, but they essentially ran an independent kingdom within the fragmenting Western Empire.

417 - 451

Theodoric I

Son of Alaric. Died at the Battle of Chalons.

426

The Visigoths kill the king of the Alans.

451 - 453

Thorismund

Son.

453 - 466

Theodoric II

Brother.

451

To preserve their new domains, the Visigoths fight on the side of Rome to halt the advance of the Huns at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains.

455

Theodoric encourages Avitus to become Western Roman emperor.

456

While Avitus is in trouble in Italy and Gaul, Theodoric is away defeating the Suevi in north-western Spain. At the same time, Ricimer (Ricomer), the son of a prince of the Suevi with a mother who was the daughter of Wallia (415-417), secures a senior position in the Western Empire in Rome.

463

The Franks and Syagrius of Soissons unite to defeat the Visigoths.

466 - 484

Euric (Eurico) I

466

After years of equivocal behaviour from the Visigoths, Euric follows a decisively anti-Roman policy.

469 - 475

The Visigoths have to fight a combined imperial army consisting of Romans, troops from Soissons under Comes Paulus, Burgundian foederati, and joint federate Britanni under Riothamus in 469 (470). After successfully holding them off, the Visigoths expand to take in more of Gaul and much of Iberia, so that the kingdom stretches from Nantes to Gadir (Cadiz), and Soissons and Armorica are cut off from Rome. In 475, in exchange for Provence, Rome is forced to grant them full independence.

484 - 507

Alaric (Alarico) II

Last Visigoth king of Toulouse.

486 - 487

Syagrius, Roman Dux of Soissons, seeks refuge with Alaric after the Franks conquer the former Roman territory. Syagrius is betrayed and handed over to the Franks.

507

Defeated by Clovis, king of the Franks, the Visigoths are pushed south into Spain where they rebuild the kingdom. They may still retain portions of Aquitaine, as the region's overlordship is very uncertain in this period. It seems likely that it is Frankish vassals who are contesting with the Visigoths to secure the region. Alaric's elder son, Gesalec is tentatively accepted as king, but is unable to hold Narbonne against the Burgundians.

507/508 - 512/14

Gesalec

Son.

509 - 526

The Ostrogoths intervene at Narbonne, driving out both Visigoths and Burgundians. This forces the Franks and Burgundians to withdraw from the Mediterranean coast. The following year the Ostrogoths defeat Gesalec in battle and he flees. One further attempt is made by him to recapture Narbonne, after a year spent in Aquitaine to gather his forces. He loses a second battle and is soon captured by the Ostrogoths. The Ostrogoth king, Theodoric, assumes the Visigoth crown until his death in 526, when Amalaric is able to take his rightful place as king.

526 - 531

Amalaric (Amalarico)

Brother.

531 - 554

Theudes

554 - 567

Athanagild(o)

555

By this point, it seems that Aquitaine is more firmly under Frankish control. A duke is assigned by Chlothar I to govern the region.

567 - 571

Theodomir

571 - 572

Leuva

572 - 586

Leuvigild(o)

585

The Suevi, on the eastern coast of Iberia, are finally absorbed into the Visigoth kingdom.

586 - 601

Recared(o) I

601 - 612

Sisebut

612 - 621

Recared II

621 - 631

Swintilla (Suintila)

631 - 640

Sisenando

640 - 642

Tulca (Tulga)

642 - 653

Chindaswind(/suinto)

653 - 672

Recdeswinth

672 - 680

Wamba

680 - 687

Euric II

687 - 702

Ergica

702 - 709

Witiza

709 - 711

Roderic (Rodrigo)

710 - 711

Ceuta, and the Pillars of Hercules, which until very recently had fallen under the control of the Byzantine empire from Carthage, are apparently turned over to the Islamic empire by 'Count Julian', as the empire prepares its invasion of Visigothic Spain.

711 - 714

The kingdom is overrun by the Moorish Islamic invasion of the Umayyads, at the battles of Jerez de la Frontera and Ecija. Cordova is captured (711), as is Seville and Toledo (712). The Battle of Segoyuela sees Saragossa captured (713), and Valencia falls (714). The small Asturian kingdom is founded in the unconquered and mountainous northwest soon after (718).