From the 5th century to the 7th century AD, about thirtysynods, variously counted, were held atToledo (Concilia toletana) in what would come to be part ofSpain. Theearliest, directed againstPriscillianism, assembled in 400. The"third" synod of 589 marked the epoch-making conversion of KingReccared fromArianism to CatholicChalcedonian Christianity. The "fourth", in 633, probably under the presidency of the notedIsidore of Seville, regulated many matters of discipline and decreed uniformity of liturgy throughout the kingdom. TheBritonia ofGalicia accepted theLatin liturgical rite. The"twelfth" council in 681 assured to thearchbishop of Toledo the primacy ofHispania (presentIberian Peninsula). As nearly one hundred earlycanons of Toledo found a place in theDecretum Gratiani, they exerted an important influence on the development ofecclesiastical law.[1]
The later synod of 1565 and 1566 concerned itself with the execution of the decrees ofTrent; and the last council of Toledo, that of 1582 and 1583, was so guided in detail byPhilip II that thepope ordered the name of the royal commissioner to be expunged from the acts.[1]
The seventh century is sometimes called, by Spanish historians, theSiglo de Concilios, or "Century of Councils".
In Toledo there is a museum which features the councils and other aspects ofVisigothic culture, theMuseo de los Concilios y de la Cultura Visigoda. It is housed in thechurch of San Roman.[2]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Rockwell, William Walker (1911). "Toledo, Councils of". InChisholm, Hugh (ed.).Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 1052.