The general history of Spain from the first peopling of it by Tubal, till the death of King Ferdinand, who united the crowns of Castile and Aragon : with a continuation to the death of King Philip III / written in Spanish by the R.F.F. John de Mariana ; to which are added, two supplements, the first by F. Ferdinand Camargo y Salcedo, the other by F. Basil Varen de Soto, bringing it down to the present reign ; the whole translated from the Spanish by Capt. John Stevens.

CHAP. VI. The Reigns of Theudis, and Theudiselus, Agila, and Athanagildus. A great Plague, The 5th General Council. An Interregnum. And the Conversion of the Suevians.

A Malaricus dying without Issue, the whole Line of the Visogoth Kings was Extinct, and * 1.1 the Crown devolved upon Theudis, by Descent an Ostrogoth. He was chosen by the unanimous Consent of the Nobility of the Visogoths, for his singular Prudence, Experience and Knowledge; besides that he had gained their good Will whilst he Governed during the Minority of Amalaricus. His Wife, who was of the prime Nobility of Spain, as a Portion, brought him an Estate able to raise 2000 fighting Men. All these Circumstances concurring, advanced him to the Throne. Theodorick, King of the Ostrogoths, had endeavoured to draw Theudis into Italy; but he still kept off. During the Reign of Theudis, in the Year 541. ended the Form of Government by Consuls in Rome, Basilius, Junior, without a Colleague * 1.2 being the last Consul. In the following Year, Childebert, King of the Franks, and Clotarius, his Brother, not satisfied with what they had done before, again made War upon Spain, and after wasting all the Province of Tarragona, laid Siege to Zaragoca. The Citizens had * 1.3 recourse to their Patron St. Vincent, whose Garment they carry'd in Procession about the Walls, imploring his Assistance, whereof Childebert being informed, he took Compassion, and desisted from doing 'em any farther harm. At his Request, the Citizens gave him that Garment, which he carry'd to Paris, and there built a Church in the Suburb, of the Invocation of this Saint, now called St. Germain. As he was to return into France he was in great danger; for Theudis not being able to meet him in open Field, had sent Theudiselus to secure the Passes of the Mountains, which he did so successfully, that the Franks were distressed, and forced to purchase their passage with Money. After the War followed a Plague, for the space of two * 1.4 Years, wherein, innumerable People dy'd in Spain. Theudis passed over into Africk, and laid Siege to Ceuta, but whilst he kept the Sunday, the Besieged sallying, put to the Sword all that were in the Trenches. The King, with part of his Army got aboard the Fleet, and re∣turned into Spain. This hap'ned at the same time that Belisarius, General for Justinian, Em∣peror of the East, subdu'd the Vandals in Africk, after they had been possess'd of it 100 Years. Justinian not only recovered Africk, but expelled the Goths out of all Italy, killing several of their Kings successively; and in great measure restored the Majesty of the Roman Empire. It was he also, that reduced the Civil Law into Method, and Composed that small, but most excellent Book, well known by the name of, The Emperor Justinian's Institutions. Not long after these things had hap'ned, follow'd the Death of Theudis, in the Year 548. when he had Reign'd 17 Years, and 5 Months. A certain Man, whose Name is not known, nor upon * 1.5 * 1.6 what Provocation, resolved to kill this King, and to that purpose feigned himself Mad. Being permitted to come into his Presence, he furiously ran at, and struck him thro' the Bo∣dy with a Sword. In this his last Agony, the King confessed this was a just Judgment of God, for that he had formerly murdered a General under whom he served, and to whom, he had taken an Oath of Fidelity; and so great was his Repentance, that he charg'd all there present, they should do no harm to his Murderer. This is an example of Mercy much to be commended in this Prince, as also, that being himself an Arian, he permitted the Catholick Bishops to hold a Council at Toledo, Theudis being dead, Theudiselus was by the No∣bility chosen King, as well in regard of his Valour, whereof, he had given good proof in the * 1.7 War with the Franks, as of his high Birth, being Nephew by a Sister, to Totila, King of the Ostrogoths. The great hopes that had at first been conceived of him, were soon disappoint∣ed; for he entirely gave himself up to Sensuality. Many of his People were privately Murthered, and others upon forged Crimes, publickly Condemned and Executed, only that he might take their Wives to satisfie his Lust. Hereupon he grew so hateful to his People, that they Conspired, and killed him in his own Palace, as he sate at Dinner, when he had * 1.8 Reigned 18 Months, and 13 Days.

The Nobility upon the Death of Theudiselus an chose Agila for their King. At his first com∣ing to the Crown, he laid close Siege to Cordova, which refused to acknowledge him. The * 1.9 Besieged making a furious Sally, put his Army to flight with much slaughter, killed his * 1.10 Son, and took the Baggage; whereby he was oblig'd to quit the Siege, and retire to Meri∣da. This was looked upon as a Judgment from Heaven, for his Profaning the Church of the Martyr Asciselus, into which, he had put his Horses. After this misfortune he began to be less looked upon by his People, and at length grew so much into contempt, that one Athana∣gildus openly Rebelled. He the more to secure and strengthen himself, sent Embassadors to the Emperor Justinian, offering to restore a considerable part of Spain to the Empire, if * 1.11 he would assist him. In pursuance of this Embassy, Liberius was sent out of France to his aid, * 1.12 and their Forces being joyn'd, the Battle was fought near Sevil, where the Rebellion is sup∣posed first to have broke out. Athanagildus obtained the Victory, and Agila was slain by his own Men, in the Year 554. when he had Reign'd 5 Years, and 3 Months. They killed him to put an end to the Civil Wars, fearing lest the Power and Riches of the Goths,

being weakned by their own Divisions, the Romans might again recover all Spain, as they had done Italy and Africk. In the same Year 554. by order of the Emperor Justinian, was held at Constantinople the 5th General Council, in which were 165 Bishops, who Condemned the * 1.13 Opinions of Origen. Jornandes, a Gothish Bishop, continued the History of that Nation, till the time that Athanagildus having killed his Enemy, was without farther Opposition acknowledg∣ed King of the Goths. This King had his hands full during his whole Life, being always in∣gaged in Wars, the Success whereof proved various. The great cause of these Troubles was, that forgetting his Promise, he endeavoured to expell the Romans all Spain. On the other side, they as well by Contract, as force of Arms, had possess'd themselves of so much, that their Dominions reached from Sea to Sea. By his Wife Gosuinda, he had two Daughters, the eld∣est, Galsuinda, Marry'd to Chilperick, King of Soissons in France, and Brunechilda the youngest, to Sigebert, King of Metz in Lorrain, the Brother of Chilperick. These two Ladies were by the French Bishops converted from the Sect of Arius, which they had been bred in; and some will have it, that Athanagildus was in private a Catholick, but durst not openly profess it, for fear of the People. He Reign'd 15 Years, and 6 Months, and dy'd at Toledo, in the Year 567. After his Death followed an Interregnum of five Months. D. Lucas de Tuy, says, It lasted five Years, and five Months. The reason of it was, that the Gothish Nobility could * 1.14 * 1.15 not agree, or pitch upon any one Person capable of supporting the Kingdom of the Goths, then in danger of sinking, and none minded the publick Calamities, studying to indulge their private Humours. At this time, John III. Governed the See of Rome. It was now al∣so, that the Suevians, who possess'd Galicia, returned to the Catholick Church, renouncing * 1.16 the Heresie of Arius, which they had follow'd almost 100 Years, and grievously Persecuted the Catholicks. Martinus Dumiensis, was a great Instrument of their Conversion. He was an Hungarian, had Travelled throughout the East, and was a Person of singular Learning, at last he was Archbishop of Braga, and after his Death esteem'd as a Saint, in Galicia and Por∣tugal, where they Celebrate his Feast on the 20th of March. When the Suevians embraced the Catholick Religion, Theodemirus Reign'd over them. What Kings Reign'd betwixt Re∣mismundus, of whom we spoke before, and this Theodemirus, is not known, the Histories of those times being imperfect. The cause of the Conversion of the Suevians was this. Theo∣demirus's Son and Heir lay dangerously Sick, and the fame of the Miracles wrought by St. Martin * 1.17 of Tours, being spread throughout the World, his Father sent Embassadors to the Saints Tomb, with the Youths weight in Gold and Silver, to be offered for his Health. But the Success not answering, the King believed it proceeded from the difference of Reli∣gion, and his being an Arian. He sent again, and the Embassadors brought a piece of the Saints Cloak, and in the mean while the Prince recovered. Hereupon, the King in pursu∣ance of a Vow he had made, erected a Church in Honour of St. Martin; and caused the Suevians publickly to embrace the Catholick Religion. For the better confirming them in the Faith, and by the Advice of St. Martin Dumiensis, he caused a Synod of the Bishops of Galicia to be held at Braga, in the third Year of his Reign, and of our Lord, 563. This was the first Council of Braga, and Lucretius, Archbishop of that City, Presided in it. * 1.18

Notes

• * 1.1

  Theudis made K. by Electi∣on.
• * 1.2

  541.
• * 1.3

  Franks a∣gain in∣vade Spain.
• * 1.4

  A great Plague.
• * 1.5

  548.
• * 1.6

  Theudis's Death.
• * 1.7

  Theudiselus Elected. K.
• * 1.8

  Is murder∣ed.
• * 1.9

  549.
• * 1.10

  Agila Reigns.
• * 1.11

  554.
• * 1.12

  Is killed having Reign'd 5 Years, and 3 Months.
• * 1.13

  The 5th. General Council. Athanagil∣dus as∣cends the Throne.
• * 1.14

  567.
• * 1.15

  An Inter∣regnum.
• * 1.16

  Suevians Convert∣ed.
• * 1.17

  Cause of the Sue∣vians Con∣version.
• * 1.18

  First Council of Braga.