# Goiswintha
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Goiswintha
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Goiswintha.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goiswintha
> Source revision: 1347985037
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Goiswintha
| title = [Queen consort of the Visigoths](/source/List_of_Visigothic_queens)
| birth_date = {{circa}} 520s {{Citation needed|date=December 2025}}
| death_date = 588
| house =
| father =
| mother =
| spouse = [Athanagild](/source/Athanagild)
[Liuvigild](/source/Liuvigild)
| issue = [Brunhilda of Austrasia](/source/Brunhilda_of_Austrasia)
[Galswintha, Queen of Neustria](/source/Galswintha)
}}
'''Goiswintha''' or '''Goisuintha''' (died 588) was a [Visigothic](/source/Visigoths) [queen consort](/source/queen_consort) of [Hispania](/source/Hispania) and [Septimania](/source/Septimania). She was the wife of two kings, [Athanagild](/source/Athanagild) and [Liuvigild](/source/Liuvigild). The [Visigothic Kingdom](/source/Visigothic_Kingdom) during the late [6th century](/source/6th_century) was going through a period of political and religious transformation. Located on the [Iberian Peninsula](/source/Iberian_Peninsula), the kingdom incorporated many [Roman](/source/Roman_Empire) traditions, laws, and religious practices as much of their population was [Catholic](/source/Catholic_Church), while the ruling elite were still [Arian Christian](/source/Arianism). As queen, Goiswintha played a crucial role in the religious conflicts between [Arians](/source/Arianism) and [Catholics](/source/Catholic_Church). Goiswintha's actions, including her resistance to the [Catholic](/source/Catholic_Church) conversion of her family members and her involvement in politics, reflected the religious transformation that happened in her time. Goiswintha’s fervent push to keep [Arianism](/source/Arianism) in the limelight in her kingdom would lead to a major [rebellion](/source/rebellion) led by her stepson, [Hermenegild](/source/Hermenegild). She would also lead a conspiracy against her other stepson, [Reccared](/source/Reccared_I), which would lead to the end of her life. These events would be the end of the religious war against Arians and [Nicene Christianity](/source/Nicene_Christianity).
Historians have debated about the [Visigothic Kingdom](/source/Visigothic_Kingdom) and their contributions to the [fall of Rome](/source/Fall_of_the_Western_Roman_Empire) claiming that the [Visigoths](/source/Visigoths) and other [goths](/source/goths) were actively involved. According to [Peter Heather](/source/Peter_Heather) in his 2006 book, ''The Fall of the Roman Empire,'' Heather argues that there could have been no fall of Rome without the [barbarian](/source/barbarian)s. This led to the rise of gothic kingdoms throughout [Rome](/source/Roman_Empire), including the [Visigoths](/source/Visigoths). However, [Walter Goffart](/source/Walter_Goffart) in his 2006 book ''Barbarian Tides: The Migration Age and the Later Roman Empire,'' argues that the fall of Rome was due to a transformation of the empire that was unable to transform because of internal conflicts. He also states that the argument of barbarians overthrowing the Roman Empire is "deeply flawed".[{{Cite book |last=Goffart |first=Walter A. |title=Barbarian Tides: The Migration Age and the Later Roman Empire |date=2010 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |isbn=978-0-8122-0028-7 |series=The Middle Ages Series |location=Philadelphia, Pa |pages=24}}] Gaffart does make the claim that barbarians were present in Rome and had a major impact, but they could not have been the sole reason for the collapse. Goiswintha existed as a bastion of this anti-Roman (what Romans would have seen as barbarian) identity.
== Biography ==
Goiswintha was initially the wife of [Athanagild](/source/Athanagild) (r.554-567). From this marriage, she was the mother of two daughters — [Brunhilda](/source/Brunhilda_of_Austrasia) and [Galswintha](/source/Galswintha) — who were married to two [Merovingian](/source/Merovingian) brother-kings: [Sigebert I](/source/Sigebert_I) of [Austrasia](/source/Austrasia) and [Chilperic](/source/Chilperic_I_of_Neustria), king of the [Neustria](/source/Neustria)n Franks. Athanagild died in 567 and was succeeded by King Liuva. [Liuva](/source/Liuva_I) died prematurly in 571 or 573, and was succeeded by King [Liuvigild](/source/Liuvigild), who then married Goiswintha for political status.[{{Cite book|title=The Visigothic kingdom in Iberia: Construction and Invention|publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press|date=2020|location=Philadelphia|isbn=978-0-8122-5253-8|first=Santiago|last=Castellanos|pages=21}}][{{Cite book|title=The Goths in Spain|publisher=Clarendon P|date=1969|location=Oxford|isbn=978-0-19-814271-3|first=E. A.|last=Thompson|pages=64}}] After this marriage, Goiswintha became step-mother to [Hermenegild](/source/Hermenegild) and [Reccared](/source/Reccared_I), King [Liuvigild's](/source/Liuvigild) sons from a previous, unknown wife.
Goiswintha was an influential personality in the royal court. In 579, her stepson [Hermenegild](/source/Hermenegild) married her granddaughter [Ingund](/source/Ingund_(wife_of_Hermenegild)), daughter of Goiswintha's daughter [Brunhilda](/source/Brunhilda_of_Austrasia) by the Frankish king [Sigebert I](/source/Sigebert_I).[Hartmann, Carmen Cardelle de (2001). ''Victoris Tunnunensis Chronicon cum reliquiis ex Consularibus Caesaraugustanis et Iohannis Biclarensis Chronicon'' (CLXXIII A ed.). [53] Turnhout: Brepols Publishers. p. 70. {{ISBN|978-2-503-01733-4}}.] As Queen, it fell to Goiswintha to welcome the young bride to court, and reportedly Goiswintha was at first very kind to the young princess. However, she was determined that Ingund should be re-baptized in the [Arian](/source/Arianism) faith. Ingund firmly refused. According to [Gregory of Tours](/source/Gregory_of_Tours): "the Queen lost her temper completely" and "seized the girl by her hair and threw her to the ground: then she kicked her until she was covered with blood, had her stripped naked and ordered her to be thrown into the baptismal pool".[Gregory of Tours (1974). ''The History of the Franks''. [V.38] The Penguin Classics. Translated by Thorpe, Lewis. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin Books. p. 302. {{ISBN|978-0-14-044295-3}}. (''Haec illa audiens, iracundiae furore succensa, adpraehensam per comam capitis puellam in terram conlidit, et diu calcibus verberatam ac sanguine cruentatam iussit spoliari et piscinae inmergi)'']
Gregory of Tours provides the only physical description of Goiswintha. He says she had a [cataract](/source/cataract) that physically reflected that "her eye-lids lost the sense which had long before departed from her mind".[Gregory of Tours (1974). ''The History of the Franks''. [V.38] The Penguin Classics. Translated by Thorpe, Lewis. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin Books. p. 301. {{ISBN|978-0-14-044295-3}}. (''Nam unum oculum nubs [sic] alba contegens, lumen, quod mens non habebat, pepulit a palphebris'')] Though this is the only written description ever given, it should be understood more as a reflection of Gregory of Tours’ opinion of her rather than a completely verifiable physical attribute.
== Rebellion ==
In [Toledo](/source/Toledo%2C_Spain), [Hermenegild](/source/Hermenegild) was influenced by his wife, [Ingund](/source/Ingund_(wife_of_Hermenegild)), and [Leander of Seville](/source/Leander_of_Seville), to convert to [Catholicism](/source/Catholicism) in 579.[Gregory of Tours (1974). ''The History of the Franks''. The Penguin Classics. Translated by Thorpe, Lewis. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin Books. {{ISBN|978-0-14-044295-3}}.][{{Cite book|title=The goths in Spain|publisher=Clarendon Press|date=2000|location=Oxford|isbn=978-0-19-814271-3|first=Edward A.|last=Thompson}}] It was also in 579 that Goiswintha and a faction loyal to her would encourage Hermenegild to rebel against King [Liuvigild](/source/Liuvigild) in [Seville](/source/Seville).[Hartmann, Carmen Cardelle de (2001). ''Victoris Tunnunensis Chronicon cum reliquiis ex Consularibus Caesaraugustanis et Iohannis Biclarensis Chronicon'' (CLXXIII A ed.). [54] Turnhout: Brepols Publishers. p. 71. {{ISBN|978-2-503-01733-4}}] [John of Biclaro](/source/John_of_Biclaro) describes this rebellion as originating as a domestic quarrel, and developing into open revolt that caused "greater destruction in the province of [Spain](/source/Spain)–to Goths and Romans alike–than any attack by external enemies."[{{Cite book|title=Visigothic Spain, 409-711|publisher=Blackwell Pub|date=2004|location=Oxford, OX, UK; Malden, MA, USA|isbn=978-0-631-18185-9|series=A history of Spain|first=Roger|last=Collins}}] Though his revolt was ultimately unsuccessful and he would be defeated and killed in 585, it is unknown the reason he was killed. It is seen as unlikely that [Liuvigild](/source/Liuvigild) was not somehow involved, however some suspicion has been cast on his second son, [Reccared](/source/Reccared_I).[Gregory of Tours (1974). ''The History of the Franks''. [V.38] The Penguin Classics. Translated by Thorpe, Lewis. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin Books. p. 301. {{ISBN|978-0-14-044295-3}}.] He describes what could be considered an attempt at a [genocide](/source/genocide) of the Catholics in Spain: "Many of them were driven into exile, deprived of their possessions, weakened by hunger, thrown into prison, beaten with sticks and [torture](/source/torture)d to death."[Gregory of Tours (1974). ''The History of the Franks''. [V.38] The Penguin Classics. Translated by Thorpe, Lewis. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin Books. p. 301-302. {{ISBN|978-0-14-044295-3}}.] It was then after this, that Ingund encouraged her husband, Hermenegild, to convert to Catholicism and resist Goiswintha’s violence militarily, first with [Roman](/source/Roman_Empire) backing, then with [Greek](/source/Byzantine_Empire) backing.[Gregory of Tours (1974). ''The History of the Franks''. [V.38] The Penguin Classics. Translated by Thorpe, Lewis. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin Books. p. 302. {{ISBN|978-0-14-044295-3}}.] However, Gregory’s description is less than trustworthy as he was not present in Spain, and consistently writes with bias against Arians.
Following [Liuvigild's](/source/Liuvigild) death in 586, his younger son [Reccared](/source/Reccared_I) became king. His reign has been seen as a turning point in the fortunes of the Visigothic monarchy.[Castro, María (2009). ''Mujeres «viriles» en la Hispania visigoda. Los casos de Gosvinta y Benedicta''. University of Salamanca. {{ISBN|0213-2060}}.] While Reccared was in control of the kingdom, he converted to Catholicism during the [Third Council of Toledo](/source/Third_Council_of_Toledo). The Council took time to come together but it finally met on May 8 with many Arian bishops renouncing their former beliefs and signing the acts of the council with the other Catholic [bishop](/source/bishop)s.[{{Cite book |last=Collins |first=Roger |title=Early medieval Spain: unity in diversity, 400 - 1000 |date=1995 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=978-0-333-64170-5 |edition=2nd |series=New studies in medieval history |location=Basingstoke |pages=54}}] This was a major turning point for the kingdom and Iberian Peninsula as it marked the kingdom's conversion from Arian Christianity to Catholicism. After the events of the Council, everyday life in the Peninsula did not have a huge effect on the majority of the population and was seen as an easy conversion because most of the population's identity was already Catholic. Public life in the Visigothic Kingdom became more religiously unified. The Church became a bigger part of the community, and cultural norms changed. While most people saw little change in daily routines, their faith in God was finally recognized by the elite. This new unity helped bring together the ruling elite in a Christian context and bring in Roman traditions.[{{Cite book |last=Collins |first=Roger |title=Early medieval Spain: unity in diversity, 400 - 1000 |date=1995 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=978-0-333-64170-5 |edition=2nd |series=New studies in medieval history |location=Basingstoke}}]
In the later part of 588, a conspiracy against [Reccared](/source/Reccared_I) was headed by queen dowager Goiswintha together with the Arian bishop Uldila, but they were detected, and the bishop was banished.[Hartmann, Carmen Cardelle de (2001). ''Victoris Tunnunensis Chronicon cum reliquiis ex Consularibus Caesaraugustanis et Iohannis Biclarensis Chronicon'' (CLXXIII A ed.). [89] Turnhout: Brepols Publishers. p. 79. {{ISBN|978-2-503-01733-4}}] After this, he writes ''tunc terminum dedit'', which is generally translated as "she came to the end of her life at this time", which has led to the question of whether he meant murder, suicide, or execution.