Alaric II facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alaric II |
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A ring depicting Alaric II. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
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| King of the Visigothic Kingdom | |
| Reign | 28 December 484 – c. August 507 |
| Predecessor | Euric |
| Successor | Gesalec |
| Born | c. 458/466 |
| Died | c. August 507 (aged 41/49) |
| Spouse | Unknown Theodegotha |
| Issue | Gesalec Amalaric |
| Father | Euric |
| Mother | Ragnagild |
| Religion | Arian Christianity |
Alaric II (Gothic: 𐌰𐌻𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃, meaning "ruler of all"; Latin: Alaricus; around 458/466 – August 507) was the King of the Visigoths from 484 to 507. He became king after his father, Euric, on December 28, 484, in Toulouse. Alaric II was the great-grandson of the famous Alaric I, who famously attacked Rome in 410.
Alaric II set up his capital city in Aire-sur-l'Adour in a region called Aquitaine. His kingdom was very large. It included most of Hispania (modern-day Spain and Portugal), as well as large parts of what is now France, like Gallia Aquitania and Gallia Narbonensis.
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Alaric's Time as King
Historians don't have many detailed records about Alaric II's time as king. Most of what we know focuses on his death in the Battle of Vouillé and how his kingdom in Toulouse fell apart. For example, Isidore of Seville's account of Alaric's rule mostly talks about his death in that battle.
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One of the first important events in Alaric's reign involved Syagrius. Syagrius was a former ruler of a Roman area in what is now northwestern France. He had been defeated by Clovis I, who was the King of the Franks. Alaric II gave Syagrius a safe place to stay.
However, Gregory of Tours, a historian, wrote that Clovis pressured Alaric into handing Syagrius over. Gregory also mentioned that "the Goths are a timorous race," meaning they were easily scared. The Franks then imprisoned Syagrius and later had him killed. But some historians believe this event might have happened later, when Clovis and Alaric's kingdoms were closer.
Even with the Franks growing stronger, Alaric was not afraid to act when needed. In 490, he helped his fellow Gothic king, Theodoric the Great. Theodoric was trying to conquer Italy, and his enemy, Odoacer, had trapped him in the city of Pavia. Alaric sent an army to help Theodoric, forcing Odoacer to stop his attack.
Later, when the Franks attacked the Burgundians (another Germanic group), Alaric helped the Burgundian rulers. It's believed that the victorious Burgundian king, Gundobad, gave the city of Avignon to Alaric as a thank you. By 502, Clovis and Alaric met on an island in the Loire River near Amboise for peace talks. They agreed to a peace treaty.
In 506, the Visigoths captured the city of Dertosa in the Ebro valley. There, they caught a Roman leader named Peter who had tried to take power, and they had him executed.
Battle of Vouillé and What Happened Next
After a few years, Clovis broke the peace treaty they had made in 502. Even though Theodoric the Great, who was Alaric's father-in-law, tried to help with diplomacy, Clovis led his Frankish army into Visigothic lands. Alaric's important nobles pushed him to fight Clovis in the Battle of Vouillé in the summer of 507, near Poitiers.
In this battle, the Goths were defeated. According to Gregory of Tours, Clovis himself killed Alaric.
The biggest result of this battle was not just losing land in Gaul (France) to the Franks. With help from the Ostrogoths, much of the lost land was actually won back. The loss of the royal treasury in Toulouse, which Clovis took, was also not the most serious problem.
Historians like Peter Heather say that the Visigothic kingdom was thrown into chaos because its king died in battle. Alaric had two sons: Gesalec, who was older but not legitimate, and Amalaric, who was legitimate but still a child. Gesalec turned out to be a poor leader. In 511, King Theodoric took control of the kingdom, supposedly to protect Amalaric. This action changed the power structure of the Visigothic kingdom.
Even though Amalaric eventually became king on his own, the smooth flow of power in the kingdom was broken. After Amalaric's death in 531, the Visigothic kingdom went through a long period of trouble until Leovigild became king in 569.
Alaric's Skills as King
Alaric was an Arian Christian, like many early Visigothic nobles. However, he was much kinder to Catholics than his father, Euric, had been. Alaric allowed Catholics to hold a church meeting called the Council of Agde in 506.
He had some difficulties with the Catholic bishops in Arles. For example, Caesarius of Arles, who became bishop in 503, was suspected of working with the Burgundians to help them capture Arles. Alaric sent Caesarius away to Bordeaux for a year. But when the danger passed, he allowed Caesarius to return safely.
Alaric also showed good judgment in political matters. He created a group led by a man named Anianus to gather and organize Roman laws and imperial rules. This collection of laws became an important guide for his Roman subjects. It is known as the Breviarium Alaricianum or Breviary of Alaric.
Legacy
The Montagne d'Alaric (Alaric's Mountain), near Carcassonne, is named after the Visigoth king. Local stories say that he left a huge treasure hidden in the caves under the mountain.
The Canal d'Alaric (Alaric's Canal) in the Hautes-Pyrénées department is also named after him.
See also
In Spanish: Alarico II para niños
