Segga
Encyclopedia
Segga was a Visigothic usurper who briefly claimed the kingship in 587 before being put down by the legitimate sovereign, Reccared I.
Following Reccared's conversion from Arianism
to Catholicism, a conspiracy, led by Sunna, the Arian bishop of Mérida
, arose to place the Arian Segga on the throne and probably also to kill the Catholic Méridan bishop, Masona
, and the duke of the province of Lusitania
, Claudius
. In response, Reccared sent Claudius to put it down. The conspirators were betrayed by one of their own, Witteric
, and Segga was captured. According to John of Biclarum, Segga had hands cut off (the penalty for usurpers) and was banished to Galicia.
The revolt had the support of several Visigothic counts, all Arians probably, but not rebelling necessarily out of devotion to their theological principles. The low-level conspirators were deprived of their property and offices and sent into exile, but one of the chief rebels, Vagrila, took refuge in the basilica of Saint Eulalia. Claudius was told, upon request, to give Vagrila, his family, and his possessions over to the church of Mérida, which he did. Masona, however, released Vagrila and his family and returned his property to him.
Following Reccared's conversion 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...
to Catholicism, a conspiracy, led by Sunna, the Arian bishop of Mérida
Mérida, Spain
Mérida is the capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura, western central Spain. It has a population of 57,127 . The Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993.- Climate :...
, arose to place the Arian Segga on the throne and probably also to kill the Catholic Méridan bishop, Masona
Masona
Masona or Mausona was the Bishop of Mérida and metropolitan of the province of Lusitania from about 570 until his death...
, and the duke of the province of 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...
, Claudius
Claudius, Duke of Lusitania
Claudius was a Hispano-Roman Catholic dux of Lusitania in the late sixth century. He was one of the most successful generals of Reccared I....
. In response, Reccared sent Claudius to put it down. The conspirators were betrayed by one of their own, Witteric
Witteric
Witteric was Visigothic King of Hispania, Septimania and Galicia from 603 to 610....
, and Segga was captured. According to John of Biclarum, Segga had hands cut off (the penalty for usurpers) and was banished to Galicia.
The revolt had the support of several Visigothic counts, all Arians probably, but not rebelling necessarily out of devotion to their theological principles. The low-level conspirators were deprived of their property and offices and sent into exile, but one of the chief rebels, Vagrila, took refuge in the basilica of Saint Eulalia. Claudius was told, upon request, to give Vagrila, his family, and his possessions over to the church of Mérida, which he did. Masona, however, released Vagrila and his family and returned his property to him.
Sources
- Thompson, E. A. The Goths in Spain. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1969. ISBN 0 19 814271 4.
- Collins, Roger. Visigothic Spain, 409–711. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2004. ISBN 0 631 18185 7.
- Collins, Roger. "King Leovigild and the Conversion of the Visigoths." Law, Regionalism and Culture in Early Medieval Spain. Variorum, 1992. ISBN 0 86078 308 1.