Reiks (; pronunciation ;
Latinized as ''rix'') is a
Gothic title for a tribal ruler, often translated as "
king".
In the
Gothic Bible, it translates to the
Greek ''
árchōn'' (ἄρχων).
It is presumably translated as ''
basiliskos'' (βασιλίσκος "petty king") in the ''Passio'' of
Sabbas the Goth.
The Gothic
Thervingi were divided into subdivisions of territory and people called ''kunja'' (singular ''
kuni'', cognate with English ), led by a ''reiks''. In times of a common threat, one of the reiks would be selected as a ''
kindins'', or head of the empire (translated as "judge", Latin ''iudex'', Greek δικαστής).
Herwig Wolfram suggested the position was different from the Roman definition of a ''
rex'' ("king") and is better described as that of a
tribal chief (see
Germanic king).
A reiks had a lower order of ''
optimates'' or ''megistanes'' (μεγιστάνες, presumably translating ''mahteigs'') beneath him on whom he could call on for support.
[Béla Köpeczi, ''History of Transylvania: From the beginnings to 1606'', Social Science Monographs, 2001, p. 163.]
It also figures prominently as second element in
Gothic names
The Onomastics of the Gothic language (Gothic personal names) are an important source not only for the history of the Goths themselves, but for Germanic onomastics in general and the linguistic and cultural history of the Germanic Heroic Age of c ...
, Latinized and often anglicized as ''-ric'', such as in
Theoderic (''Þiuda-reiks'').
The use of the suffix extended into the
Merovingian dynasty, with kings given names such as
Childeric,
and it survives in modern German and Scandinavian names such as ''
Ulrich'', ''
Erik'', ''
Dietrich
Dietrich () is an ancient German name meaning "Ruler of the People.” Also "keeper of the keys" or a "lockpick" either the tool or the profession.
Given name
* Dietrich, Count of Oldenburg (c. 1398 – 1440)
* Thierry of Alsace (german: Dietr ...
'', ''
Heinrich Heinrich may refer to:
People
* Heinrich (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)
* Heinrich (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
*Hetty (given name), a given name (including a list of peo ...
'', ''
Richard'', ''
Friedrich Friedrich may refer to:
Names
* Friedrich (surname), people with the surname ''Friedrich''
* Friedrich (given name), people with the given name ''Friedrich''
Other
* Friedrich (board game), a board game about Frederick the Great and the Seven Year ...
''.
See also
*
Germanic king
*
Reich
*
King of the Visigoths
*
King of the Ostrogoths
References
{{Reflist
Positions of authority
Titles
Early Germanic law
Goths