The dynasty of Leovigild has fallen! Hear about Miracles (dingalingaling), Sigmund Freud, and being shoved into a locker in front of all of Europe while you learn about King Witteric!
Listen to Witteric’s episode on Podbean
Categories
Conquistadores
Despite what Isidore says, Witteric has at least 2 victories over the Byzantines: Saguntum and Bigastro. We don’t have any details about these battles, though.
Then there’s the fact that he not only can’t keep the Frankish king from humiliating his daughter, his attempts to pursue justice via war are also so laughable that Theuderic literally ignores them. I mean at least Guntram invaded something when Ingundis was disgraced.
Score
Peter: 3
Sarah: 2
Total: 5
No Me Digas
This guy is pretty slimy:
- Conspires against Reccared
- Turns in his fellow conspirators to Reccared
- Leaves preparations to battle an external enemy to overthrow Liuva
- Cuts off a teenager’s hand and then a few months later changes his mind and has him killed
- Usurps the throne
Score
Peter: 5
Sarah: 5
Total: 10
Ortodoxia
Witteric is definitely supported by a lot of Arians, but there’s no indication that he himself is Arian. He never switches the official religion of Spain back to Arianism. However, he conspires with Arians, he allies with Arians, and a group of Catholics assassinates him, so there’s some smoke there.
Score
Peter: 1
Sarah: 1
Total: 2
El Rey-sto
Children: 1
Length of Rule: 7 years
Death: Stabbed at a banquet
Score
Peter: 4
Sarah: 4
Total: 8
¿Fuero o Fuera?
Sources
Primary
The History of the Kings of the Goths, Isidore of Seville. As translated in Wolf, Kenneth Baxter (1999). Conquerors and Chroniclers of Early Medieval Spain.
Chronicle, Fredegar. As translated in Wallace-Hadrill, J. M. (1960). The Fourth Book of the Chronicles of Fredegar.
The Lives of the Fathers of Mérida, Braulio of Saragossa. As translated in Fear, A. T. (1997). Lives of the Visigothic Fathers.
Secondary
Thompson, E. A. (1969). The Goths in Spain.
Collins, Roger (1995). Early Medieval Spain: Unity in Diversity, 400-1000.
O’Callaghan, Joseph F. (1975). A History of Medieval Spain.
Recommendations
Don Quijote (Edith Grossman translation), by Miguel de Cervantes
Interlocking Crochet: Designers Astrid Schandy and David Q. Orth
The Spanish ArPodA 