The Goths, from the earliest times to the end of the Gothic dominion in Spain . right handhaving been cut off, was thrown into prison, andafterwards put to death. The seven years of Witerics reign were unpros-perous, and his rule was that of a selfish tyrant. Itis said that he wished to restore the Arian religion ;however that may be, he seems to have made himself 334 A PRIEST-RIDDEN KINGDOM. detested by the clergy, as well as by the nobles andthe people. In the year 6io he was murdered at abanquet, and his body was buried in unhallowedground without the rites of the church. The short reign of
The Goths, from the earliest times to the end of the Gothic dominion in Spain . right handhaving been cut off, was thrown into prison, andafterwards put to death. The seven years of Witerics reign were unpros-perous, and his rule was that of a selfish tyrant. Itis said that he wished to restore the Arian religion ;however that may be, he seems to have made himself 334 A PRIEST-RIDDEN KINGDOM. detested by the clergy, as well as by the nobles andthe people. In the year 6io he was murdered at abanquet, and his body was buried in unhallowedground without the rites of the church. The short reign of his successor, Gundemar, con-tains no events worth relating; but Sisebut, who waschosen king in 612, was a man about whom we wouldbe glad to know more. He was a successful general,and his victories compelled the Greeks to surrendernearly all their possessions in Spain, Like theGothic heroes of older days, Theoderic and Totila,he was distinguished for humanity towards the con-quered. Many of the Greek prisoners had been soldinto slavery by their Gothic captors, and the king. COIN OF SISEBUT. purchased their freedom at his own cost. He wasalso a scholar, and a generous patron of such learningas existed in Spain in his day. Unhappily it has tobe added that he was the first Gothic king who everpersecuted the Jews. Baptism within one year, orscourging, mutilation, banishment, and confiscation ofgoods ; such was the choice which Sisebut offeredto that unhappy people. Thousands of Jews pro-fessed to accept the gospel. But the dread of perse-cution could not make them Christians at Jews till now had been attached friends of the THE FATHER OF THE POOR. 335 Goths; the forced conversions under Sisebert changedthem into bitter enemies. Those of them who re-ceived baptism and attended Christian worship con-tinued in the secrecy of their homes to practiseJewish ritual, and to teach their children to cursetheir oppressors. The best men of the SpanishChurch felt that these persecuti
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectgoths, bookyear1887
