Thiufa facts for kids

The thiufa was a very important part of the Visigothic army in Hispania (which is now Spain and Portugal). It was probably made up of about one thousand soldiers. The person in charge of a thiufa was called a thiufadus.

How the Thiufa Was Organized

It's not fully clear if the thiufa units were always used in real battles. They might have just been plans on paper. Sometimes, the Visigothic army might have used smaller or larger groups of soldiers instead.

Where the Word "Thiufadus" Came From

The word thiufadus comes from old languages. It might come from the Latin word devotus. This word was used by the Ostrogoths and Visigoths for important leaders. It could also come from a Germanic word, but some experts think that's less likely.

The Role of a Thiufadus

A thiufadus was a special official who had two main jobs: they were both a military leader and a judge.

Thiufadus in Early Laws

In early Visigothic laws, officials who collected money or made sure rules were followed were called compulsares vel executores. Later, in laws like the Liber Iudiciorum, these officials were called by different names. These names included compulsor exercitus, servus dominicus, or thiufadus. A thiufadus was also sometimes called a vassus regis, meaning a vassal (a loyal helper) of the king.

Thiufadus's Position and Power

The thiufadus was an important official. Their position was just below a comes (count) or vicarius (vicar). This was similar to the thunginus among the Franks or the ducenarius in Late Roman times. In the army, they were above a centenarius, who commanded one hundred soldiers. However, we cannot say for sure if they commanded exactly one thousand soldiers.

The Liber Iudiciorum was a set of laws that gave the thiufadi more power. Because they were both generals and judges, they had helpers called sayos. The thiufadus controlled the countryside. However, they seemed to have less power than the counts, who controlled the cities and their surrounding areas.

See also

In Spanish: Thiufadus para niños