Goiswintha

Goiswintha or Goisuintha was a Visigothic queen consort of Hispania and Septimania. She was the wife of two kings, Athanagild and Liuvigild. From her first marriage, she was the mother of two daughters — Brunhilda and Galswintha — who were married to two Merovingian brother-kings: Sigebert I of Austrasia and Chilperic, king of the Neustrian Franks. The Visigothic Kingdom during the late 6th century was going through a period of political and religious transformation. Located on the Iberian Peninsula, the Kingdom incorporated many Roman traditions, laws, and religious practices as much of their population was Catholic, while the ruling elite were still Arian Christian. As queen, Goiswintha played a crucial role in the religious conflicts between Arians and Catholics. Goiswintha's actions, including her resistance to the Catholic conversion of her family members and her involvement in politics, reflected the religious transformation that happened in her time.

Goiswintha
Queen consort of the Visigoths
Born	c. 520s
Died	588
Spouse	Athanagild Liuvigild
Issue	Brunhilda of Austrasia Galswintha, Queen of Neustria

Biography

Goiswintha was initially the wife of Athanagild (r.554-567), and following his death in 567, he was succeeded by King Liuva, Liuva died prematurly in 571 or 573, and was succeeded by King Liuvigild, who then married Goiswintha for political status.^[1] After this marriage, Goiswintha became step-mother to Hermenegild and Reccared, King Liuvigild's sons from a previous, unknown wife.

Gregory of Tours described Goiswintha as having a cataract that physically reflected that "her eye-lids lost sense which had long before departed from her mind."^[2]

Goiswintha was an influential personality in the royal court. In 579, her stepson Hermenegild married her granddaughter Ingund, daughter of Goiswintha's daughter Brunhilda by the Frankish king Sigebert I.^[3] As Queen, it fell to Goiswintha to welcome the young bride to court, and reportedly Goiswintha was at first very kind to the young princess. However, she was determined that Ingund should be re-baptized in the Arian faith. Ingund, firmly refused. According to Gregory of Tours: "the Queen lost her temper completely" and "seized the girl by her hair and threw her to the ground: then she kicked her until she was covered with blood, had her stripped naked and ordered her to be thrown into the baptismal pool".^[4]

Rebellion

There, Hermenegild was influenced by his wife, Ingund and Leander of Seville, to convert to Catholicism in 579.^[5] It was also in 579 that Goiswintha and a faction loyal to her would encourage Hermenegild to rebel against King Liuvigild in Seville.^[6] John of Biclaro describes this rebellion as originating as a domestic quarrel, and developing into open revolt that caused “greater destruction in the province of Spain–to Goths and Romans alike–than any attack by external enemies.”^[7] Whether Hermenegild was reacting to her violence towards Hermenegild’s wife, Ingund, or if Goiswintha was seeking the establishment of a separate monarchy in the south for the heirs of her first husband, Athanagild is unclear.^[8] However, it is unknown if Goiswintha and Hermenegild were actually working together.^[9] Though his revolt was ultimately unsuccessful and he would be defeated and killed in 585, it is unknown the reason he was killed. It is seen as unlikely that Liuvigild was not somehow involved, however some suspicion has been cast on his second son, Reccared.^[10]

Following Liuvigild's death in 586, his younger son Reccared became king. His reign has been seen as a turning point in the fortunes of the Visigothic monarchy.^[11] He also promised to keep Goiswintha in her position on the court and to treat her like a motherly figure and Reccared promised her safety.^[12] He promptly converted to Catholicism.

In the later part of 588, a conspiracy against Reccared was headed by queen dowager Goiswintha together with the Arian bishop Uldila, but they were detected, and the bishop was banished.^[13] John of Biclaro claims that this conspiracy was the bishop Uldila and Goiswintha taking the Catholic communion, but rejecting it in secret.^[14] He also states that Goiswintha "came to the end of her life at this time," which leads to the question of whether he meant murder, suicide, or execution.^[15]