Sisebut ( la, Sisebutus, es, Sisebuto; also ''Sisebuth'', ''Sisebur'', ''Sisebod'' or ''Sigebut'') ( 565 – February 621) was King of the Visigoths and ruler of Hispania and

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 Septima ...

from 612 until his death.

Biography

He campaigned successfully against the remains of East Roman power in Spania,Roger Collins, ''Visigothic Spain 409-711'' (Blackwell Publishing, 2004), 75. strengthened Visigothic control over the

Basques The Basques ( or ; eu, euskaldunak ; es, vascos ; french: basques ) are a Southwestern European ethnic group, characterised by the Basque language, a common culture and shared genetic ancestry to the ancient Vascones and Aquitanians. Bas ...

and Cantabrians, developed friendly relations with the Lombards of Italy, and reinforced the fleet which had been established by his predecessor Leovigild. Sisebut was known for his devout piety to Chalcedonian Christianity. In 612, upon his accession to the throne, he forced his Jewish subjects to convert to Christianity. In 616, he ordered that those Jews who refused to convert to Christianity be punished with the lash. He was closely associated and amicable with the scholar and encyclopaedist Isidore, bishop of Seville, and is usually regarded as the author of a Latin poem on astronomy, ''Carmen de Luna'' or ''Praefatio de Libro Rotarum'', dedicated to a friend who is identified with Isidore. He had a son, who succeeded him as Reccared II.Roger Collins, ''Visigothic Spain 409-711'', 76.

References

{{Authority control 7th-century Visigothic monarchs Medieval Portugal 621 deaths Year of birth uncertain 7th-century poets 7th-century Latin writers 7th-century astronomers