Sigeric, king of the Visigoths

Sigeric, king of the Visigoths

• Reign: August 15, 415 – August 22, 415
• Preceded by: Athaulf
• Succeeded by: Walha
• Died: August 22, 415
• House: Amal dynasty
• Spouse: (unknown)

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Biography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigeric

Sigeric (? – 22 August 415) was a Visigoth king for seven days in 415 AD.

His predecessor, Ataulf, had been mortally wounded in his stables at the palace of Barcelona by an assassin. The assassin was probably a loyal servant of Sarus, a Gothic noble and personal enemy whom Ataulf had earlier slain. At Ataulf's death, Sarus' faction, the Amali, violated the Gothic tradition of succession by immediately making Sigeric, the brother of Sarus, king.

After becoming the king, Sigeric murdered Ataulf's children by his first wife. He also forced Galla Placidia, widow to Ataulf and daughter of Roman Emperor Theodosius I and sister to Emperor Honorius to walk more than twelve miles on foot among the crowd of captives driven ahead of the mounted Sigeric. On the seventh day after his accession, Sigeric was assassinated and replaced him with Ataulf's relative, Wallia.[1]

1. Olympiodorus Fragment 26

Because Sigeric was an Amali, a member of a rival clan-based subgroup among the Visigoths to the Balti (of which Ataulf and Wallia were part), Sigeric is the only one who does not belong in the succession of kings usually labeled the Balti dynasty, if the kingship is defined by Balti dynastic connections. Due to this, as well as to the fact that his reign was a usurpation, and brief, Sigeric does not appear on some Visigothic king lists.

https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/TOULOUSE.htm#Alaricdied410

Olympiodorus Thebæus records that Ataulf, king of the Visigoths was succeeded by “Sari frater, Singerichus”*, who was killed after seven days and succeeded by “Gothorum dux Valia”.

   Two brothers, parents not known. 

1. SARUS (-murdered). He is named as brother of Sigeric by Olympiodorus Thebæus who records that Ataulf was succeeded by “Sari frater, Singerichus”[42]. Gothic chief who supported the Romans against Radagaisus in [405]. He fought against Alaric[43]. Revenge for his murder by Ataulf appears to have been the motive for the latter's murder in 415[44].
2. SIGERIC (-murdered 416). He was elected to succeed in 416 as SIGERIC King of the Visigoths after the murder of his predecessor. Olympiodorus Thebæus records that Ataulf named as his successor “fratri suo”, who was displaced by “Sari frater, Singerichus”, who was killed after seven days[45]. The Chronicon Albeldense names “Sigericus” as successor of Ataulf, adding that he sought peace with the Romans but was killed “a suis”[46].

[42] Olympiodorus Thebæus (1851), 26, p. 63.
[43] Wolfram (1998), p. 166.
[44] Wolfram (1998), p. 165.
[45] Olympiodorus Thebæus (1851), 26, p. 63.
[46] Chronicon Albeldense 17, Patrologia Latina Vol. 129, col. 1133C.

Representation of the Visigoth kings Athaulf and Sigeric. Page from a manuscript by the historian Alonso de Cartagena (Alfonso de Cartagena) (1384-1456). 15th century Madrid, national library.

Source: < bridgeman images >

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References

1. Wikipedia contributors, "Sigeric," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, < Wikipedia > (accessed April 15, 2024). Cites
   1. Henry Bradley, The Goths: from the Earliest Times to the End of the Gothic Dominion in Spain. Second edition, 1883, New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, chapter 11.
   2. Edward Gibbon, History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, chapter 3.
   3. Olympiodorus Fragment 26