Witteric

Witteric (in Spanish Witerico, in Portuguese Viterico) was Visigothic King of Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula) from 603 to 610.

In the spring of 602, the Goth Witteric, one of the conspirators with Sunna de Mérida to reestablish Arianism in 589, was given command of the army with the job of repulsing the Byzantines. From this position of power at the head of the army, he surrounded himself with confidantes. When it came time to expel the Byzantines, Witteric instead used his troops to strike at the king (Spring 603). In invading the royal palace and deposing the young king, Liuva II, he counted on the support of a faction of nobles in opposition to the dynasty of Leovigild. A large fraction of the Visigothic population could always be relied upon to oppose dynastic rule. Witteric cut off the king's right hand and later had him condemned and executed (Summer 603).

He spent time fighting the Byzantines during his reign, however, one of his generals occupying Sagontia (or Gisgonza), probably in 605. It was probably during his reign, as well, that Bigastrum (near Cartago Nova) was taken, for its bishop appears in a council of Toledo in 610.

In 606, his daughter, Ermenberga, went north to marry the king of Burgundy, Theodoric II. She arrived in Chalon-sur-Saône, but the regent (the queen-grandmother) Brunhilda and Theodoric's sister Teudila (or Teudilana) instigated him against his bride. Theodoric then disgraced her by sending her back to Iberia in 607, without her dowry. Incensed, Witteric entered into a quadruple alliance against the Burgundian monarch. Kings Theodobert II of Austrasia, Clotaire II of Neustria, and Agilulf of the Lombards joined the alliance. The alliance does not seem to have had success. Nothing of any actual combat is known except that it took place, probably around Narbonne. Isidore of Seville gives no mention of it, indicating that it was probably a series of minor skirmishes, which undoubtedly the Visigoths lost.

In April 610, a faction of Catholic nobles assassinated him during a banquet. His body was dragged ignominiously through the streets of Toledo. The nobles then proclaimed Gundemar, duke of Narbonne, king.