Visigothic Kingdom: Unification of the Iberian Peninsula
The Visigoths in the Iberian Peninsula
The Visigoths represent the continuity of the social, economic, and political development of the Roman Empire, incorporating elements that prevailed before the transition from the previous stage.
The Visigoths were a Germanic people situated north of the Danube Valley. Pressured by the Huns, they entered the lands of the Roman Empire and established the Kingdom of Toulouse in southern France during the 4th century.
Arrival and Consolidation in the Peninsula
In 409, Vandals, Suebi, and Alans entered the Iberian Peninsula via Roncesvalles, leading to a period of anarchy. The Visigoths, acting on behalf of Rome, subsequently entered Gaul to expel these groups. By 415, they were established in the peninsula to try to remove them (Romans). As a result of these incursions, by the 5th century, the Iberian Peninsula was divided among several groups: the Suebi remained in Galicia, the defeated Alans joined the Visigoths, and the Vandals were expelled to North Africa, where they established an empire. The Visigoths expanded their control from the Kingdom of Toulouse to include much of the mainland.
In 507, after being defeated by the Franks in Gaul, the Visigoths moved their focus to the Iberian Peninsula, establishing the Visigothic Kingdom with its capital in Toledo. The 6th and 7th centuries marked a period of territorial and political unification of the peninsula under Visigothic control, encompassing Suebi, Byzantines, Asturians, Cantabrians, and Basques.
Challenges and Territorial Unification
The Visigothic presence was threatened by the aspirations of Justinian I, the Byzantine Emperor, to rebuild the Roman Empire. This led to Byzantine control over the Levantine coast of Andalusia during the 6th century.
During the reign of Leovigildo (late 6th century), significant political and territorial consolidation occurred. The Suebi were defeated in 585, and the Cantabrians and Asturians in 580. It was not until 625 that the Byzantines were completely defeated, and the Basques were subdued.
The Visigoths dominated the kingdom until 711, when the Muslim invasion occurred following the Battle of Guadalete.
Political and Social Structure
The Visigoths created the first independent and unified political state in the Iberian Peninsula. Political instability, stemming from clashes among the nobility for control of the crown, reached its peak in the 6th century, a weakness exploited by the Byzantines. This situation began to change under Leovigildo, who initiated a process of consolidating royal power and enhancing territorial unification.
Another significant step was the legal unification achieved with the enactment of the Liber Iudiciorum by Recesvinto in 654, a single legal code based on Roman law. Although the Visigoths held political power, they were a minority compared to the Hispano-Roman population.
Religious Unification
During the reign of Reccared I, conversion to Catholic Christianity occurred at the Third Council of Toledo in 589, achieving religious unification. The Visigoths had previously been Arian Christians. This marked the beginning of the Church’s significant political power, social influence, and participation in political decision-making.
Social Hierarchy
The social structure of the Roman Empire was maintained and reinforced:
- Aristocracy: A small minority who owned vast estates worked by coloni and slaves. They were involved in politics and often clashed with the monarchy.
- Peasants: The majority of the population, including coloni working on estates and smallholders.
- Slaves: Formed the lowest stratum of society.
Economic Developments
Following the final crisis of the Roman Empire, cities declined, and the crisis of trade fostered self-sufficiency. Land became the primary determinant of wealth, largely concentrated in the hands of both Visigothic and Hispano-Roman nobles. Nobles leased land to free peasants (coloni), and many small landowners sought the protection of nobles, ceding their land or labor in exchange. Consequently, the monarchy gradually gained power, and the foundations of the feudal social model were laid.
The Idea of Spain
In Visigothic Spain, the concept of Spain as an independent nation with political and religious unity began to take shape. While this does not signify the birth of the Spanish nation in the 6th and 7th centuries, it represents the first time this possibility was forged, ultimately leading to its realization many centuries later.