1. THE VISIGOTHS
A BIT MORE OF HISTORY...
Since the last years of the 7th century, the visigothic Kingdom had famines and epidemics due to
agriculture crisis; in addition they had a politic crisis since their monarchy was elected amongst nobles.
In 702, Witiza became king, but many nobles fought between them, because all of them wanted to be
the next king. Finally, when Witiza died, Roderik (another noble) was elected as king. Witiza's children
did not recognise Roderik as the new king, and they decided to ask Muslims for help, who were the
North of Africa's conquerors. Muslims came into the Iberian Peninsula and defeated Roderik in 711
(The Guadalete's battle).
POLITIC ORGANIZATION
The Visigothic kingdom was ruled by a king, who was elected by the other nobles. This is an elected
monarchy and it had many problems because nobles frecuently fought against each other for the
crown.
The Visigothic king ran the administration, made laws as well as he was the most important judge and
the army commander.
The king was helped by the Aula Regia, a board of nobles which advised him. Besides, the king was
supported by the Catholic Church through Toledo's councils.
VISIGOTHIC SOCIETY
During the first years in the Iberian Peninsula, the Visigothic were separated from hispanic-roman
inhabitants, but finally they mixed with Peninsula's inhabitants.
They had privileges as
not to pay taxes or
their own laws, made
The king, the nobility,
and seniors official for themselves
from the Catholic
Church
Free men as peasants, craftsmans or dealers.
They did not have privileges
They paid many taxes
and they had to work
as hard as they could to Tenants farmer rented and worked a landlord's properties
Feed their families
Servants belonged to a master

2. The Arianism.- For a while the Visigothic and Hispanic-roman were separated because of religion. The
Visigothic were Arianists, this means that they rejected that Jesus Christ was a god, which was a main
idea for the rest of the Christians. In 589, during the 3 rd Toledo's Council, Reccared became a Catholic,
and his kingdom also became Catholic.
THE ECONOMY
The main economic activities were agriculture and stockbreeding. They had large
estates (latifundium) where cereals, vineyards, vegetables and leguminous plants were
grown. Regarding stockbreeding they bred sheep, hogs and cows.
The craftsmanship declined, and only the metallurgy and working with precious metals
(goldsmithing or silversmithing) were important. The trade stepped back too, although
they kept commercial relationship with the Byzantine Empire. The Visigothic imported
luxury products as jewels or clothes made up with high quality fabrics.