Witteric ( es, Witerico; Portuguese and Galician: ''Viterico''; 565 – April 610) was the

Visigoth The Visigoths (; la, Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, Wisi) were an early Germanic people who, along with the Ostrogoths, constituted the two major political entities of the Goths within the Roman Empire in late antiquity, or what is kn ...

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...

Hispania Hispania ( la, Hispānia , ; nearly identically pronounced in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, and Italian) was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula and its provinces. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two provinces: Hi ...

Septimania Septimania (french: Septimanie ; oc, Septimània ) is a historical region in modern-day Southern France. It referred to the western part of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis that passed to the control of the Visigoths in 462, when Septim ...

and

Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...

. He ruled from 603 to 610.

Rise to power

The first mention of Witteric in history was as a conspirator with , the Arian bishop of Mérida, to reestablish

Arianism Arianism ( grc-x-koine, Ἀρειανισμός, ) is a Christological doctrine first attributed to Arius (), a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt. Arian theology holds that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was begotten by God ...

in 589. While Sunna was sent into exile, it is unknown what happened to Witteric. In the spring of 602, Witteric was given command of the army with the job of expelling the Byzantines. However, when it came time to do so in the Spring of 603, Witteric instead led his troops against King Liuva II, counting on the support of a faction of nobles in opposition to the dynasty of

Leovigild Liuvigild, Leuvigild, Leovigild, or ''Leovigildo'' (Spanish and Portuguese), ( 519 – 586) was a Visigothic King of Hispania and Septimania from 568 to 586. Known for his Codex Revisus or Code of Leovigild, a law allowing equal rights between th ...

. He invaded the royal palace and deposed the young king. Witteric cut off the king's right hand, and then had him condemned and executed in the summer of 603.

Reign

During his reign, the Visigoths fought the Byzantines. However,

Isidore of Seville Isidore of Seville ( la, Isidorus Hispalensis; c. 560 – 4 April 636) was a Spanish scholar, theologian, and archbishop of Seville. He is widely regarded, in the words of 19th-century historian Montalembert, as "the last scholar of ...

is dismissive of Witteric's accomplishments, writing that "although he frequently fought battles against the Roman soldiers, he did not win any adequate glory except for capturing some soldiers at

Sagunto Sagunto ( ca-valencia, Sagunt) is a municipality of Spain, located in the province of Valencia, Valencian Community. It belongs to the modern fertile ''comarca'' of Camp de Morvedre. It is located c. 30 km north of the city of Valencia, ...

with the help of his generals." The campaign against Sagunto probably took place in 605.Isidore, chapter 58; translated by Donini and Ford, p. 27 It was probably during his reign, as well, that Bigastrum (near Cartago Nova) was taken, as its bishop appears in a

council of Toledo From the 5th century to the 7th century AD, about thirty synods, variously counted, were held at Toledo (''Concilia toletana'') in what would come to be part of Spain. The earliest, directed against Priscillianism, assembled in 400. The "thi ...

in 610. In the twelfth year of his reign, king Theodoric II sent for bishop Aridius of Lyons and the constable Eborin to ask Witteric for his daughter

Ermenburga Ermenberga (fl. 6th/7th centuries CE) was a Visigoth princess, a daughter of Witteric. In 606 she married Theuderic II Theuderic II (also spelled Theuderich, Theoderic or Theodoric; in French, ''Thierry'') (587–613), king of Burgundy (595– ...

's hand in marriage. Although the envoys gave their word that she would not be disowned by Theodoric, and she was received by Theodoric in

Chalon-sur-Saône Chalon-sur-Saône (, literally ''Chalon on Saône'') is a city in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; h ...

(606), his grandmother, the regent Brunhilda and Theodoric's sister Teudila (or Teudilana) did not provide a welcoming reception. Theodoric then disgraced Ermenberga by sending her back without her dowry. Incensed, Witteric entered into a quadruple alliance with

Theodobert II of Austrasia Theudebert II () (c.585-612), King of Austrasia (595–612 AD), was the son and heir of Childebert II. He received the kingdom of Austrasia plus the cities (''civitates'') of Poitiers, Tours, Le Puy-en-Velay, Bordeaux, and Châteaudun, as well as ...

Clotaire II of Neustria Chlothar II, sometime called "the Young" ( French: le Jeune), (May/June 584 – 18 October 629), was king of Neustria and king of the Franks, and the son of Chilperic I and his third wife, Fredegund. He started his reign as an infant under the r ...

, and

Agilulf Agilulf ( 555 – April 616), called ''the Thuringian'' and nicknamed ''Ago'', was a duke of Turin and king of the Lombards from 591 until his death. A relative of his predecessor Authari, Agilulf was of Thuringian origin and belonged to the A ...

of the

Lombards The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 an ...

to effect his deposition and death. Despite their mutual fear of Theodoric, their alliance did not accomplish anything; according to

Fredegar The ''Chronicle of Fredegar'' is the conventional title used for a 7th-century Frankish chronicle that was probably written in Burgundy. The author is unknown and the attribution to Fredegar dates only from the 16th century. The chronicle begin ...

, "Theodoric got wind of it he alliancebut treated it with utter contempt.".

Assassination

In April 610, a faction of

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

nobles conspired against Witteric and assassinated him during a banquet. His body was dragged ignominiously through the streets and he was later buried without the honors corresponding to his status.Rachel L. Stocking, ''Bishops, Councils, and Consensus in the Visigothic Kingdom, 589-633'' (University of Michigan Press, 2000), p. 119. The nobles then proclaimed

Gundemar Gundemar was a Visigothic King of Hispania, Septimania and Galicia (610–612). Reign Gundemar continued a policy of amity with Clotaire II of Neustria and Theodobert II of Austrasia. To this end, he sent grand sums of money to support their cau ...

, Duke of Narbonne, king.

References

External links

Coins of King Witteric
{{Authority control Year of birth unknown 610 deaths 7th-century Visigothic monarchs Assassinated Gothic people 7th-century murdered monarchs