Visigoths: The Rise And Fall Of The Elematicians

The foreign Germanic invaders’ rule over the Iberian inhabitants had a tumultuous beginning that seemed to plague the entire Visigothic reign. Various Visigothic families fought for power but failed to centralize and produce a strong monarchy with long-term periods of stability in the empire. As the factions vied for control after a king’s death or deposition, the policies regarding Jewish citizens changed drastically with each successive king -- from slight restrictions to outright persecution. Due to the oppressive treatment of the Jewish minority stemming from intolerant Visigothic legislation, the Jewish population accepted the introduction of Muslim rule. With the additional tacit support of the Jews and other citizens that desired an

A history professor at the University of Minnesota, Bernard Bachrach highlights the chaos of the time: “In the 122 years from the conversion of the Visigoths to Orthodox Christianity in 589 to the fall of their kingdom to the Muslims in 711 there were no fewer than eighteen kings from at least fifteen different families…and there were numerous would-be usurpers and pretenders…” (12). As different factions battled one another after the reign of each king, the never-ending wars led to social, political, and economic unrest. Rulers vying for control exploited their citizens, forcing peasants to fight in what seemed like endless, needless battles. Additionally, with different factions gaining control, each king’s reign led to different bureaucrats and policies. Instability wracked the entire empire, and the Jews were arguably the most affected by these insurgencies as laws concerning their way of life changed with each king. Although the first Catholic Visigothic king only ordered the baptism of children born from Christian and Jewish parents, later kings such as Khintila passed harsher laws calling for the conversion to Christianity or the exile of all the Jews (Constable 21). Jewish livelihoods also weakened beginning under King Sisebut as many consequences called for the freedom of Christian slaves under Jewish masters and the seizing of all the Jews’ property for the king (Bachrach 16). Indeed, the anti-Jewish policies many kings implemented sought to [limit] their freedom, [curtail] their economic capabilities, and ultimately [reduce] them to slavery” as the Jewish population, while a minority, was a prosperous one that aid or threaten a king’s ascent to the throne (11). Ultimately, the constant change in kings and their laws undoubtedly caused havoc detrimental to the empire’s unity and