Chindasuinth
Encyclopedia
Chindasuinth was Visigothic King
of Spain
, from 642 until his death. He succeeded Tulga
, from whom he usurped the throne in a coup; he was "officially" elected by the nobles and anointed by the bishops 30 April 642.
Despite his great age (he was already 79 years old), a veteran of the Leovigild campaigns and the religious rebellions after conversions from Arianism
were forced, his great energy and force of character made the clergy and noblesse to submit. Somewhat famously, he cemented his control by preempting a revolt: he executed at one time over 200 Goths of the most noble families and 500 more of the petty nobility
. This in accompaniment with many banishments and confiscations of property. All of this before any rebellion and without any investigation or trial or, for that matter, actual belief that a revolt was pending.
The Seventh Council of Toledo
, held 16 October 646, consented to and backed his actions, toughening the punishments applied to those who rose against the sovereign and extending them even to members of the clergy who supported them.
Smothering all opposition, he lent the realm a peace and order not before known. To continue this, he had his son Recceswinth, at the urging of Braulio of Zaragoza, crowned co-king 20 January 648, and attempted to establish, as many before had, a hereditary monarchy. His associate-son was from this date until his death the true ruler of the Visigoths, in name of his father until 653, the date of the old man's passing.
Despite his implacable politics, Chindasuinth is recorded in ecclesiastical annals as a great benefactor of the church, donating many lands and bestowing privileges. He improved the public estates with the confiscated goods of the dispossessed nobility and through improved taxation methods. In the military arena, he undertook campaigns against rebellious Basques and Lusitania
ns.
As a legislator, he promulgated many laws dealing with civil matters. With the assistance of Braulio, bishop of Zaragoza
, he began the elaboration of a territorial code of law to cover both the Gothic population and the Hispano-Roman. That work, the Liber Iudiciorum, would be promulgated, in a rough form, in his second year. It underwent refinement throughout the rest of his reign and was finished by his son in 654. In 643 or 644 it superseded both the Breviary of Alaric
used by the natives and the Code of Leovigild
used by the Goths.
According to Edward Gibbon
, during his reign, Muslim raiders began harrying Iberia
: "As early as the time of Othman (644–656), their piratical squadrons had ravaged the coast of Andalusia
". Chindasuinth spent the last years of his life, as so many mediaeval monarchs did, in acts of piety for the sake of his immortal soul. He financed St. Fructuosus
to build the monastery
of San Román de Hornija
, by the Douro
, with the intention to make it his burial too and where his remains rest next to those of his wife, Recciberga. Nevertheless, Eugene II, bishop of Toledo, provided one judgment on the life of this king in writing the following epitaph:
Visigothic Kingdom
The Visigothic Kingdom was a kingdom which occupied southwestern France and the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th to 8th century AD. One of the Germanic successor states to the Western Roman Empire, it was originally created by the settlement of the Visigoths under King Wallia in the province of...
of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, from 642 until his death. He succeeded Tulga
Tulga
Tulga was Visigothic King of Hispania, Septimania and Galicia from 640 to 642, if his father died in December 640, as some sources state. Although some sources have his rule beginning as early as 639 or ending as early as 641...
, from whom he usurped the throne in a coup; he was "officially" elected by the nobles and anointed by the bishops 30 April 642.
Despite his great age (he was already 79 years old), a veteran of the Leovigild campaigns and the religious rebellions after conversions from Arianism
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
were forced, his great energy and force of character made the clergy and noblesse to submit. Somewhat famously, he cemented his control by preempting a revolt: he executed at one time over 200 Goths of the most noble families and 500 more of the petty nobility
Petty nobility
Petty nobility is dated at least back to 13th century and was formed by Nobles/Knights around their strategic interests. The idea was more capable peasants with leader roles in local community that were given tax exemption for taking care of services like for example guard duties of local primitive...
. This in accompaniment with many banishments and confiscations of property. All of this before any rebellion and without any investigation or trial or, for that matter, actual belief that a revolt was pending.
The Seventh Council of Toledo
Seventh Council of Toledo
The Seventh Council of Toledo commenced on 18 November 646 and was attended by forty one bishops either personally or by delegation. It was the first of Chindasuinth's two councils....
, held 16 October 646, consented to and backed his actions, toughening the punishments applied to those who rose against the sovereign and extending them even to members of the clergy who supported them.
Smothering all opposition, he lent the realm a peace and order not before known. To continue this, he had his son Recceswinth, at the urging of Braulio of Zaragoza, crowned co-king 20 January 648, and attempted to establish, as many before had, a hereditary monarchy. His associate-son was from this date until his death the true ruler of the Visigoths, in name of his father until 653, the date of the old man's passing.
Despite his implacable politics, Chindasuinth is recorded in ecclesiastical annals as a great benefactor of the church, donating many lands and bestowing privileges. He improved the public estates with the confiscated goods of the dispossessed nobility and through improved taxation methods. In the military arena, he undertook campaigns against rebellious Basques and Lusitania
Lusitania
Lusitania or Hispania Lusitania was an ancient Roman province including approximately all of modern Portugal south of the Douro river and part of modern Spain . It was named after the Lusitani or Lusitanian people...
ns.
As a legislator, he promulgated many laws dealing with civil matters. With the assistance of Braulio, bishop of Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, he began the elaboration of a territorial code of law to cover both the Gothic population and the Hispano-Roman. That work, the Liber Iudiciorum, would be promulgated, in a rough form, in his second year. It underwent refinement throughout the rest of his reign and was finished by his son in 654. In 643 or 644 it superseded both the Breviary of Alaric
Breviary of Alaric
The Breviary of Alaric is a collection of Roman law, compiled by order of Alaric II, King of the Visigoths, with the advice of his bishops and nobles. It was promulgated on February 2, year 506, the twenty-second year of his reign...
used by the natives and the Code of Leovigild
Code of Leovigild
The Code of Leovigild or Codex Revisus was a Visigothic legal code, a revision of the Codex Euricianus made in the late sixth century under Leovigild . The code does not survive and all we know of it is derived from the writings of Isidore of Seville, a near contemporary eccelsiastic and...
used by the Goths.
According to Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon was an English historian and Member of Parliament...
, during his reign, Muslim raiders began harrying Iberia
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
: "As early as the time of Othman (644–656), their piratical squadrons had ravaged the coast of Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
". Chindasuinth spent the last years of his life, as so many mediaeval monarchs did, in acts of piety for the sake of his immortal soul. He financed St. Fructuosus
Fructuosus of Braga
Saint Fructuosus of Braga was the Bishop of Dumio and Archbishop of Braga, a great founder of monasteries, who died April 16, 665. He was the son of a Visigothic dux in the region of Bierzo and he accompanied his father at a young age on certain official trips over his estates...
to build the monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
of San Román de Hornija
San Román de Hornija
San Román de Hornija is a municipality located in the province of Valladolid, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 425 inhabitants....
, by the Douro
Douro
The Douro or Duero is one of the major rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, flowing from its source near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province across northern-central Spain and Portugal to its outlet at Porto...
, with the intention to make it his burial too and where his remains rest next to those of his wife, Recciberga. Nevertheless, Eugene II, bishop of Toledo, provided one judgment on the life of this king in writing the following epitaph:
- I, Chindasuinth, ever the friend of evil deeds: committer of crimes Chindaswinth I, impious, obscene, ugly and wicked; not seeking the best, valuing the worst.
Sources
- Collins, Roger. Visigothic Spain, 409–711. Blackwell Publishing, 2004.
- King, P. D. "King Chindasvind and the First Territorial Law-code of the Visiogothic Kingdom." Visigothic Spain: New Approaches. ed. Edward JamesEdward James (historian)Edward James is Professor of Medieval History at University College, Dublin. He received a BA 1968; DPhil in 1975. He was a Lecturer, then College Lecturer, at the Department of Medieval History, University College Dublin from 1970-1978...
. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1980. pp 131–157. - Thompson, E. A.Edward Arthur ThompsonEdward Arthur Thompson was a British classicist, medievalist and professor at the University of Nottingham from 1948 to 1979. He wrote from a Marxist perspective, and argued that the Visigoths were settled in Aquitaine to counter the internal threat of the peasant bagaudae...
. The Goths in Spain. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1969.
External links
- Edward GibbonEdward GibbonEdward Gibbon was an English historian and Member of Parliament...
, History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Chapter 51 (from the University of AdelaideUniversity of AdelaideThe University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
) - Visigothic Law Code: text. The preface was written in 1908, and should be read with reservations. Look at Book VI: Concerning Crimes and Tortures, under Title III: Concerning Abortion, the seventh article, which is not "ancient law", as so many others, but the words of Flavius Chintasvintus Rex