Visigothic Spain
In the late third century AD, the Roman Empire was showing signs of its
coming collapse – the political framework was becoming corrupt and decadent and
two Germanic tribes, the Franks and the Alemanni, periodically invaded across
the Pyrenees, causing significant destruction. In 410 AD, the Suevi and the
Vandals, other Germanic tribes, were forced into the Iberian Peninsula because
the Huns were displacing them in Europe. These were followed by the Visigoths,
from Gaul, one time enemies of Rome who then became their allies.
The Visigoth era in Spanish history is one that tends to be forgotten now –
overshadowed by the Roman rule which preceded it and the Moorish period which
followed. It does, however, have one or two things of interest to contemporary
minds.
Having founded the Visigoth kingdom of Toulouse in the south of modern France,
the long-haired Visigoths gradually expanded their influence into Iberia,
eventually setting up their capital in Toledo, during the reign of Leovigild.
Although the Visigoths were very different people to the Romans – they left
behind a legacy of very decorative, often gaudy, jewellery but their language
had a negligible influence on the natives because they didn’t mingle with them
much – they did tend to keep the same Roman institutions and legal code, and
traded with Mediterranean countries to keep contacts close. Their most obvious
effect was the depopulation of cities as people moved to the countryside, where
a kind of feudal system was in place.
In AD 587, Reccared, the Visigothic king in Toledo, converted to Catholicism
from the Arian Christianity he had previously worshipped, and this led to a
movement to unify the various religions that existed in the land at the time.
The Council of Lerida in 546 had tried to bring the churches more under the
influence of Rome but there were still regular revolts from members of the
nobility and rogue bishops.
There is not much left of Visigothic architecture in Spain – but what remains is
interesting. For example, what is probably Spain’s oldest church is the 7th
century San Juan, which can be found in Baños de Cerrato in the province of
Palencia. In Visigoth times, this was an important grain producing region and
the King Reccesuinth commissioned the building of a church there when, on
returning from a successful battle with rebelling Basques, he drank from the
waters and recovered from all his ailments. You can still see the original
inscription in the stones above the entrance. Several bronze belt buckles and
liturgical objects – as well as a necropolis with 58 tombs – have been
discovered here.
The impressive Gothic Cathedral at Palencia itself also has a crypt from the
Visigoth era.
At Quintanilla de Las Viñas, 22 miles south east of Burgos, there is the Ermita
de Santa María de Lara, which is a lovely legacy of the Visigothic architectural
style– it has an unusual triple frieze of bas reliefs on its outer walls – and
there are others still to be found in La Rioja and Orense regions. You’ll see
early examples of the horseshoe arch, which was to become so predominant in
Moorish architecture, in all these Visigoth structures. The fascinating city of
Toledo – it’s like a walk around a museum covering every historical period –
still has some Visigothic influences to be seen.
Toledo, though, was itself the scene of so many feuds between rival Visigoth
nobles and clergy that when the Muslims crossed the Straits of Gibraltar in 711,
they didn’t encounter many problems in defeating the city on their march through
Spain.
Recommended Reading:
Visigoths
Moorish
Spain >
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