| Agila I | |
|---|---|
| King of the Visigoths | |
| Reign | c. December 549 – March 554 |
| Predecessor | Theudigisel |
| Successor | Athanagild |
| Died | March 554 |
| Religion | Arianism |
Agila, sometimesAgila I orAchila I[a] (died March 554), wasVisigothicking ofHispania andSeptimania (549 – March 554). Peter Heather notes that Agila's reign was during a period of civil war following the death ofAmalaric, the last member of the old Visigothic dynasty, when ambitious Gothic nobles competed openly for the throne.[1]
Agila came to power after the assassination ofTheudigisel, who had ruled for less than two years. However, opposition to his rule soon emerged. First was the revolt of the city ofCorduba, whichIsidore of Seville suggests was due to localRoman Catholics objecting to hisArianism: in his account, Isidore mentions that Agila defiled the church of a local saint,Acisclus, by drenching the sepulcher "with the blood of the enemy and of their pack-animals", and attributes the death of Agila's son in the conflict — along with the majority of his army, and the royal treasury — to "the agency of the saints".[2]
Peter Heather lists several groups who revolted against Agila: a local dynast, Aspidius, established ahegemony in one mountainous region; the landowners ofCantabria established a "senate" to govern their affairs; and then there are the Sappi and Suani mentioned byJohn of Biclar.[3]
The most important rebel opposed to Agila wasAthanagild, whose open revolt began in 551, following Agila's defeat at Cordoba. The armies of Agila and Athanagild met atSeville, where Agila met a second defeat.[4] At this point, a third party entered the war between these two: theByzantine Empire. As Peter Heather writes, "One of the two — which is the subject of varying report — summoned a Byzantine army, which duly arrived in southern Spain in 552." Heather understands Isidore's chronicle states that Athanagild summoned the Byzantines, whileJordanes implies in hisGetica that Agila had asked them for help.[3]
During this three-sided conflict King Agila was killed — according to Isidore by his own people, who realized the destruction Agila's wars to retain power had caused, but "fearing even more that Roman soldiers might invadeSpain on the pretext of giving help".[5] Athanagild was then accepted as king.
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | King of the Visigoths December 549 – March 554 | Succeeded by |
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| International | |
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| Other | |
