Wittiza

Wittiza (Witiza, Witica, Witicha, Vitiza, or Witiges; c. 687 – probably 710) was the Visigothic King of Hispania from 694 until his death, co-ruling with his father, Egica, until 702 or 703.

Early in his reign, Ergica made it clear that his intention was to secure his family in a position of power from which they could not be removed. Based on a charter dated to Ergica's seventh year (November 693 to November 694) which mentions Wittiza as co-king, it is probable that Wittiza was made co-ruler in 694, even though the Chronicle of 754 places the event in 698.Numismatic analysis of coinage types also supports the thesis that Wittiza ruled from 694. The raising of Wittiza to the kingship coincided with the revolt of Suniefred and may have been either its cause or effect.

On 15 or 24 November 700, Wittiza was anointed king; this forms the last entry in the Chronica Regum Visigothorum, a Visigothic regnal list. The delay between his appointment as co-regent and his unction, to which much importance was ascribed, is most probably explained by his coming of age, likely fourteen, in that year. Wittiza was Ergica's son by Cixilo, daughter of the previous king Erwig, who was dismissed by her husband in late 687 after a short marriage and thus puts a limit on the possible date of birth of Wittiza.

Sometime during the joint reign of Ergica and Wittiza, a Byzantine fleet raided the coasts of southern Hispania and was driven off by Theudimer. The dating of this event is disputed: it may have occurred as part of Leontios' expedition to relieve Carthage in 697, perhaps later, around 702, or perhaps late in Wittiza's reign. A plague broke out at Constantinople in 698 and it spread westward across the Mediterranean reaching Hispania in 701. It was severe enough to force the two kings from their capital of Toledo and it might be that this was the period when Wittiza was sent by his father to rule in Tui in Gallaecia over the regnum Suevorum, an event recorded by the Chronicle of Alfonso III. Although often dismissed by scholars, there is numismatic evidence that suggests Wittiza's subkingdom was a reality.

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