Ergica

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Ergica or Egica (c.610–701) was a king of the Visigoths of Hispania who ruled from 687 until his death. He was married to Cixillo, the daughter of King Erwig, who preceded him on the throne.

Upon Ergica's marriage to Cixillo, Erwig made him swear an oath to protect Erwig's children. Before his death Erwig required a second oath to not deny justice to the people. Shortly after taking the throne, Ergica called the Fifteenth Council of Toledo at which he claimed the two oaths were contradictory and asked the council of bishops to release him from one or the other. When the council only partially rescinded the oath to protect the Erwig's children, Ergica called a second council of provincial bishops, which resulted in Erwig's widow, Liuvigoto, being sent to a convent.

In 691, Ergica oversaw the beginning of the building of the Church of San Pedro de la Nave in Zamara.

In 693, the Metropolitan of Toledo, Sisebert, led a rebellion against Ergica in favor of a man named Suniefred and coins were minted in the potential usurper's name. The rebellion failed and Sisebert was defrocked and excommunicated. Furthermore, any of his descendants were barred from holding any offices and any other rebel or descendant of a rebel who might rise up against Ergica was to be sold into slavery.

In 694, Ergica claimed to learn from informers that the Jewish population in Hispania had attempted a revolt, conspiring with Jews and Muslims in North Africa. Responsively, Ergica declared all Jewish-held land forfeit, all Jews to be slaves, and all Jewish children over the age of seven to be taken from their homes and raised as Christians. In towns where Jews were deemed indispensable to the economy, however, this law wasn't applied. Indeed, it was hardly enforced beyond the capital city of Toledo.

In 698, Musa bin Nusair, a Yemeni general, was made the viceroy of North Africa and given the responsibility for putting down a large Berber rebellion. He also had to deal with constant harassment from the Byzantine navy and later built a navy of his own that went on to conquer the islands of Ibiza, Majorca, and Minorca.

A third-generation Arian Christian, Ergica wasn't tolerant of those who differed with him. He persecuted homosexuals, punishing them with castration, and Jews, decreeing that they couldn't conduct business with Christians. It is therefore no surprise that later, when Tariq ibn-Ziyad successfully invaded Iberia in 711, thus launching the Muslim conquest, there were numerous Jews in his armies.

Shortly before he died, Ergica amended a law which stated that anyone accused of theft of goods worth 300 solidi was to undergo a trial by boiling water. Under Ergica's changes, anyone accused of theft for whatever amount would have to undergo this ordeal. At the same time, Ergica published several laws which dealt harshly with the issue of fugitive slaves.

Ergica was the father of King Wittiza, with whom he shared his rule from 693–701.