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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 6, 43. Of the Kings of Galicia

In Galicia strange¹ new events befell, the causes of which must be followed from the beginning. Hermangild, as above narrated,² had quarrelled with his father, and, with his consort, had fixed his quarters in a certain Spanish city, relying upon support from the emperor and from Mir, king of Galicia. But he now learned that his father was advancing against him with an army, and took counsel how he might repel or slay him. The unhappy prince knew not that the divine judgement impends over him who nurses such intent against his own sire, even if he be a heretic. After due deliberation, he picked three hundred men from the many thousands who followed him, and placed them in the fortified place of Osser, where the springs in the church are miraculously filled. His plan was that these men should first attack his father, who would be alarmed and weakened, so that he could be more easily overcome by the great force of inferior troops. When this stratagem came to the ears of King Leuvigild, he was much perplexed in thought. ‘If’, said he, ‘I go thither with my whole army, the men will be all massed together in one place and will suffer cruelly from the enemy’s javelins. If, on the other hand, I go with a few, I cannot vanquish such a body of picked men.’ In the end, he went with his whole force, reached the spot, and crushed the garrison; he then burned the place, as I have related above.³ After winning this victory, he learned that the army of King Mir was drawn up against him. Leuvigild surrounded him and made him swear loyalty to him in the future; and, after exchange of presents, they departed each to his own country. Not many days after his return, Mir took to his bed and died;⁴ he had sickened by reason of the bad water and unwholesome air of Spain. After his death his son Euric sought the friendship of Leuvigild; he took the same oaths as his father, and succeeded to the kingdom of Galicia. In the same year, Audica,⁵ his kinsman, and wedded to his sister, came against him with an army. He took Euric prisoner, made him enter the Church, and ordered him to be consecrated deacon and priest. He then wedded his father-in-law’s wife,⁶ and took possession of the Galician kingdom. Leuvigild took prisoner his son Hermangild, brought him to Toledo, and condemned him to banishment. The prince’s consort,⁷ however, he could not take from the hands of the Greeks.

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