Wamba (king)

Wamba (Medieval Latin: VVamba, Vamba, Wamba; c. 643 – 687/688) was the king of the Visigoths from 672 to 680. During his reign, the Visigothic kingdom encompassed all of Hispania and part of southern Gaul known as Septimania.

According to Herwig Wolfram, "Wamba" means "big paunch" in Gothic and may have been a nickname. Both Julian of Toledo in his Historia Wambae ("History of Wamba") and the decisions of the eleventh Council of Toledo, held under Wamba's auspices, only refer to the king as Wamba.

After ascending the throne in 672, Wamba faced a revolt from Hilderic, governor of Nîmes, who had himself aspired to the kingship. Hilderic was supported by Gunhild, Bishop of Maguelonne. Wamba sent the dux Paul to put down the rebels, but upon his arrival at Narbonne, Paul induced his officers to renounce their loyalty to Wamba and elect him king as Flavius Paulus. He was joined by Hilderic and his followers, as well as duke Ranosindus of Tarraconensis and the gardingatus (a palace official) Hildigisus. Paul recruited "multitudes" of Franks and Basques to bolster his forces. and following this the Visigothic cities in Gaul and a large part of northeastern Hispania came over to Paul's side.

During these events, Wamba was in Cantabria campaigning against the Basques. In response, Wamba marched into the Tarraconensis region, and in a few days turned most of the cities back to his side. He then divided his forces into three groups, attacking over the Pyrenees by way of Llívia (then the capital of Cerdanya), Auch, and the coastal road, taking the fortresses of Collioure, Vulturaria, and Llívia, finding "much" gold and silver there.

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