# Reiks

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Gothic title for a tribal ruler

**Reiks** ([Gothic](/source/Gothic_language): 𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃; pronunciation /ri:ks/; [Latinized](/source/Latinisation_of_names) as *rix*) is a [Gothic](/source/Goths) title for a tribal ruler, often translated as "[king](/source/Germanic_king)".

In the [Gothic Bible](/source/Gothic_Bible), it translates to the [Greek](/source/Greek_language) *[árchōn](/source/Archon)* (ἄρχων).[1] It is presumably translated as *[basiliskos](/source/Basileus)* (βασιλίσκος "petty king") in the *Passio* of [Sabbas the Goth](/source/Sabbas_the_Goth).[2]

The Gothic [Thervingi](/source/Thervingi) were divided into subdivisions of territory and people called *kunja* (singular *[kuni](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%F0%90%8C%BA%F0%90%8C%BF%F0%90%8C%BD%F0%90%8C%B9#Gothic)*, cognate with English *[kin](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kin#English)*), led by a *reiks*.[3] In times of a common threat, one of the reiks would be selected as a *[kindins](/source/Kindins)*, or head of the empire (translated as "judge", Latin *iudex*, Greek δικαστής).[4]

Herwig Wolfram suggested the position was different from the Roman definition of a *[rex](/source/Rex_(title))* ("king") and is better described as that of a [tribal chief](/source/Tribal_king) (see [Germanic king](/source/Germanic_king)).[5]

A reiks had a lower order of *[optimates](/source/Optimates)* or *megistanes* (μεγιστάνες, presumably translating *mahteigs*[6]) beneath him on whom he could call on for support.[7]

It also figures prominently as second element in [Gothic names](/source/Germanic_names), Latinized and often anglicized as *-ric*, such as in [Theoderic](/source/Theoderic_the_Great) (*Þiuda-reiks*).

The use of the suffix extended into the [Merovingian dynasty](/source/Merovingian_dynasty), with kings given names such as [Childeric](/source/Childeric_I),[8] and it survives in modern German and Scandinavian names such as *[Ulrich](/source/Ulrich)*, *[Erik](/source/Erik)*, *[Dietrich](/source/Dietrich_(disambiguation))*, *[Heinrich](/source/Heinrich_(disambiguation))*, *[Richard](/source/Richard)*, *[Friedrich](/source/Friedrich_(disambiguation))*.

## See also

Look up ***[Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/rīks](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/r%C4%ABks)*** in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Look up ***[𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%F0%90%8D%82%F0%90%8C%B4%F0%90%8C%B9%F0%90%8C%BA%F0%90%8D%83)*** in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

- [Germanic king](/source/Germanic_king)

- [Reich](/source/Reich)

- [King of the Visigoths](/source/King_of_the_Visigoths)

- [King of the Ostrogoths](/source/King_of_the_Ostrogoths)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-HoekKolff1992_1-0)** A. W. Van Der Hoek; [Dirk H. A. Kolff](/source/Dirk_H._A._Kolff); M. S. Oort (1992). [*Ritual, State, and History in South Asia: Essays in Honour of J.C. Heesterman*](https://books.google.com/books?id=EtwtSZwyWpgC&pg=PA310). BRILL. pp. 310–. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-90-04-09467-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-04-09467-3). Retrieved 4 January 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Wolfram2005_2-0)** Herwig Wolfram (2005). [*Gotische Studien: Volk und Herrschaft im frühen Mittelalter*](https://books.google.com/books?id=xuAI_WgtFuUC&pg=PA90). C. H. Beck. pp. 90–. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-406-52957-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-406-52957-3). Retrieved 5 January 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Herwig Wolfram](/source/Herwig_Wolfram), *Die Goten: Von den Anfängen bis zur Mitte des 6. Jahrhunderts*, p. 105.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Ammianus Marcellinus](/source/Ammianus_Marcellinus) (27,5,9) mentions one Athanaric *iudex gentis*, "judge of the people."

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Heather1999_5-0)** P. J. Heather (1999). [*The Visigoths from the Migration Period to the Seventh Century: An Ethnographic Perspective*](https://books.google.com/books?id=4MADmH2eaGIC&pg=PA358). Boydell & Brewer Ltd. pp. 358–. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-84383-033-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84383-033-7). Retrieved 5 January 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Béla Köpeczi, History of Transylvania: From the beginnings to 1606, Social Science Monographs, 2001, p. 163.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Béla Köpeczi, *History of Transylvania: From the beginnings to 1606*, Social Science Monographs, 2001, p. 163.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Wolfram1997_8-0)** Herwig Wolfram (1997). [*The Roman Empire and Its Germanic Peoples*](https://books.google.com/books?id=tOnQDfRU-poC&pg=PA17). University of California Press. pp. 17–. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-520-08511-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-520-08511-4). Retrieved 5 January 2013.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Reiks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reiks) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reiks?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.