The Visigoths converted from Arianism to Nicene Christianity in 589 under Reccared I.
The Visigoths -LRB- UK  : -LSB- ˈvɪzɪˌɡɒθs -RSB- US  : -LSB- ˈvɪzɪˌɡɑːθs -RSB- Visigothi , Wisigothi , Vesi , Visi , Wesi , or Wisi Visigoti -RRB- were the western branches of the nomadic tribes of Germanic peoples referred to collectively as the Goths .. British English. American English. Germanic peoples. Germanic peoples. Goths. Goths. These tribes flourished and spread throughout the late Roman Empire in Late Antiquity , or what is known as the Migration Period .. Roman Empire. Roman Empire. Late Antiquity. Late Antiquity. Migration Period. Migration Period. The Visigoths emerged from earlier Gothic groups -LRB- possibly the Thervingi -RRB- who had invaded the Roman Empire beginning in 376 and had defeated the Romans at the Battle of Adrianople in 378 .. Roman Empire. Roman Empire. Thervingi. Thervingi. Battle of Adrianople. Battle of Adrianople. Relations between the Romans and the Visigoths were variable , alternately warring with one another and making treaties when convenient .. The Visigoths invaded Italy under Alaric I and sacked Rome in 410 .. Alaric I. Alaric I. sacked Rome in 410. sack of Rome ( 410 ). After the Visigoths sacked Rome , they began settling down , first in southern Gaul and eventually in Spain and Portugal , where they founded the Visigothic Kingdom and maintained a presence from the 5th to the 8th centuries AD .. Gaul. Gaul. Spain. Spain. Portugal. Portugal. Visigothic Kingdom. Visigothic Kingdom. The Visigoths first settled in southern Gaul as foederati of the Romans -- a relationship established in 418 .. Gaul. Gaul. foederati. foederati. However , they soon fell out with their Roman hosts -LRB- for reasons that are now obscure -RRB- and established their own kingdom with its capital at Toulouse .. capital. Capital city. Toulouse. Toulouse. They next extended their authority into Hispania at the expense of the Suebi and Vandals .. Hispania. Hispania. Suebi. Suebi. Vandals. Vandals. In 507 , however , their rule in Gaul was ended by the Franks under Clovis I , who defeated them in the Battle of Vouille .. Gaul. Gaul. Franks. Franks. Clovis I. Clovis I. Battle of Vouille. Battle of Vouille. After that , the Visigoth kingdom was limited to Hispania , and they never again held territory north of the Pyrenees other than Septimania .. Hispania. Hispania. Pyrenees. Pyrenees. Septimania. Septimania. A small , elite group of Visigoths came to dominate the governance of that region at the expense of those who had previously ruled there , particularly in the Byzantine province of Spania and the Kingdom of the Suebi .. Suebi. Suebi. Byzantine. Byzantine Empire. Spania. Spania. Kingdom of the Suebi. Kingdom of the Suebi. In or around 589 , the Visigoths under Reccared I converted from Arianism to Nicene Christianity , gradually adopting the culture of their Hispano-Roman subjects .. Reccared I. Reccared I. Arianism. Arianism. Nicene Christianity. Nicene Christianity. Their legal code , the Visigothic Code -LRB- completed in 654 -RRB- abolished the longstanding practice of applying different laws for Romans and Visigoths .. Visigothic Code. Visigothic Code. Once legal distinctions were no longer being made between Romani and Gothi , they became known collectively as Hispani .. In the century that followed , the region was dominated by the Councils of Toledo and the episcopacy .. Councils of Toledo. Councils of Toledo. -LRB- Little else is known about the Visigoths ' history during the 7th century , since records are relatively sparse . -RRB-. In 711 or 712 , a force of invading African Moors defeated the Visigoths in the Battle of Guadalete .. invading African Moors. Umayyad conquest of Hispania. Battle of Guadalete. Battle of Guadalete. Moors. Moors. Their king and many members of their governing elite were killed , and their kingdom rapidly collapsed .. king. Roderic. Gothic identity survived , however , especially in Marca Hispanica and the Kingdom of Asturias , which had been founded by the Visigothic nobleman Pelagius of Asturias after his victory over the Moors at the Battle of Covadonga .. Marca Hispanica. Marca Hispanica. Kingdom of Asturias. Kingdom of Asturias. Pelagius of Asturias. Pelagius of Asturias. Moors. Moors. Battle of Covadonga. Battle of Covadonga. During their governance of the Kingdom of Hispania , the Visigoths built several churches that survive .. Hispania. Hispania. built several churches. Visigothic art and architecture. They also left many artifacts , which have been discovered in increasing numbers by archaeologists in recent times .. The Treasure of Guarrazar of votive crowns and crosses is the most spectacular .. Treasure of Guarrazar. Treasure of Guarrazar. They founded the only new cities in western Europe from the fall of the Western half of the Roman Empire until the rise of the Carolingian dynasty .. Roman Empire. Roman Empire. Carolingian dynasty. Carolingian dynasty. Many Visigothic names are still in use in modern Spanish and Portuguese .. Visigothic names are still in use in modern Spanish and Portuguese. List of Spanish words of Germanic origin#Names. Their most notable legacy , however , was the Visigothic Code , which served , among other things , as the basis for court procedure in most of Christian Iberia until the Late Middle Ages , centuries after the demise of the kingdom .. Visigothic Code. Visigothic Code. Iberia. Iberian Peninsula. Late Middle Ages. Late Middle Ages