Recesvinto, rey de los visigodos

Recceswinth, King of the Visigoths

• Reign 20 January 649 – 1 September 672
• Coronation 20 January 649
• Predecessor Chindasuinth
• Successor Wamba
• Co-king Chindasuinth (20 January 649 – 30 September 653)
• Died 1 September 672

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Biography

Recceswinth[1] (died 1 September 672) was the Visigothic King of Hispania, and Septimania in 649–672. He ruled jointly with his father Chindaswinth until his father's death in 653.

Name

His Gothic name is believed to have been *𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌺𐌰𐍃𐍅𐌹𐌽𐌸𐍃 (*Raikaswinþs), from the roots reiks ("king") and swinþs ("strong"). His votive crown used the Latin spelling RECCESVINTHVS. Other Latin spellings include Recceswinthus, Recesvindus. In English his name is also spelled Reccesuinth, Recceswint, Reccaswinth; Spanish Recesvinto; Portuguese Recesvindo; German Rekkeswint; French Réceswinthe.[2]

Reign

Under Recceswinth, the Visigothic Kingdom enjoyed an unbroken peace for 19 years (653–672) — except for a brief rebellion of the Vascons, led by a noble named "Froya," an exiled Goth, who fleeing the monarch’s persecutions had settled, like many others, in Basque territory. Froya and the Vascons ravaged the lands of the Ebro Valley, looted churches, murdered clerics, and laid siege to the city of Saragossa. Recceswinth reacted, broke the siege, and killed Froya".[3]

Beginning in 654 Recceswinth was responsible for the promulgation of a law code, Liber Iudiciorum, to replace the Breviary of Alaric; he placed a Visigothic common law over both Goths and Hispano-Romans in the kingdom. This Liber Iudiciorum showed little Germanic influence, adhering more closely to the old Roman laws.[citation needed] In his general law code of 654, he outlawed a set of essential Jewish practices, including male circumcision, dietary laws (kashrut), marriage laws and ceremonies, and the celebration of Passover.[4]

Moreover, the church councils in the Visigothic capital Toledo (Toletum) became the most powerful force in the government and the bishops were the primary support of the monarchy. Will Durant wrote in The Age of Faith: "By their superior education and organization they dominated the nobles who sat with them in the ruling councils of Toledo; and though the king's authority was theoretically absolute, and he chose the bishops, these councils elected him, and exacted pledges of policy in advance."[citation needed]

Recceswinth died on 1 September 672, just before the first Arab raid on Hispania Baetica.[5]

Origins

Chindasuinth was succeeded by his eldest son, Recceswinth, who continued his reforms. A younger son, Theodofred, was blinded by Wamba.

SPAIN: VANDALS, SUEVI & VISIGOTHS". fmg.ac. Retrieved 2023-01-11

• 1. CHINDASVINTO (-Toledo 1 Oct 653). He was elected to succeed in 642 as CHINDASVINTO King of the Visigoths after deposing King Tulga, an act which was condoned by the seventh council of Toledo convened by the new king specially for the purpose. … The Chronica Regum Visigotthorum records that “Chindusvinthus” reigned alone for six years, eight months and eleven days, and with “filio suo Reccesvintho” four years, eight months and eleven days, and died “pridie Kal Oct 691”[295]. m REKIBERGA, daughter of --- (-after 18 Oct 646). "Chindasvintux rex et Reciverga regina" donated property to "monasterium…iuxta rivulum…Molina sub monte Irago" by charter dated 18 Oct 646[296]. Nothing is known about the family origin of King Chindasvinto´s wife, or whether this named wife was the mother of both his children who are named below. The estimated birth date of the king’s son Theodefredo suggests that he may have been the son of Rekiberga. King Chindasvinto and [his wife] had two children:
  • a) RECESVINTO (-Villa of Gerticos [Wamba, Valladolid][297] 1 Sep 672, bur [G%C3%A9rticos], transferred 13th century to Toledo[298]). The Chronica Regum Visigotthorum records that “Chindusvinthus” reigned with “filio suo Reccesvintho” four years, eight months and eleven days, and that Recesvinto ruled alone 23 years, seven months and eleven days, and died “Kal Sep A.D. 672”[305].
  • b) THEODOFREDO ([645/53]-after 702). The Chronicle of Alfonso III names "Theodefred…the son of King Chindasuinth, his father abandoning him at a young age", adding that King Egica ordered him to be blinded when he reached maturity[306], m (after 687) RICILO, daughter of ---. The Chronicle of Alfonso III records that Theodefredo "chose a wife…Ricilo, from a noble family" during his exile[308]. Theodofredo & his wife had [four] children: …

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Votive crown of Recceswinth, as found in the treasure of Guarrazar, Spain.

References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visigothic_Kingdom