I - VISIGOTHIC SPAIN

1.1 The end of the Roman Empire

In the 3rd century the Roman Empire began to weaken.

The army was not strong anymore and the borders of the empire were unprotected.

In the 5th century some barbarian  tribes from northern and eastern Europe attacked the Empire. They were the Germanic tribes.

1.2 The Germanic Kingdoms

In 476 AD, the last Roman Emperor was deposed and the Western Empire was divided into several small Germanic Kingdoms.

The Fall of the Roman Empire is the landmark to begin the Middle Ages.

1.3 The Visigothic Kingdom

Some years before the Fall of the Roman Empire, the Visigoths arrived in Southern France and Spain. Later, they were expelled from France by another Germanic tribe, the Franks.

The Visigoths  established a kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, with Toledo as its capital.

1.4 Visigothic art and culture

The Visigoths had their own germanic language and laws and they were not Catholic christians but after settling in Hispania they decided to speak in Latin, to use Roman laws and to adopt the Catholic religion in all their territories.

They built many churches in stone using the horseshoe arch. They were good goldsmiths too.

1.5 Influence in Spanish language

There are many words of Visigothic (germanic) origin in Spanish language, such as guerra, aspa, barón, brida, botín, dardo, espuela, hacha, tapa or yelmo.