Agila II

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Agila II (also spelled Achila, Aquila, or Akhila because the sound represented by /j/ wasn't existent in Latin) (c.681-716) was the king of the Visigoths in Hispania after the defeat of Roderic in 711. His disputed reign is attested to by coins from mints in Gerona, Narbonne, and Tarragona. If his reign is recognised, then first Agila must be numbered Agila I.

He was the son of Witiza and was associated with his father's reign from 708. He was proclaimed king upon his father's death in 710, but only had the support of the northern regions, with Arian dominated Tarraconensis and Jewish dominated Narbonensis^{[citation needed]}. The rest of Hispania elected Roderic, whose capital was Toledo. Agila's uncle, Oppas, bishop of Toledo, solicited the aid of the Muslims of Morocco against Roderic and it was this which led to the conquest of the peninsula in 711. When Roderic died in battle against the Moors, Agila was probably crowned in Toledo.

In 712, he travelled to Toledo to meet the Moslem leader, Tariq ibn Ziyad. Despite his expectation that the alliance which was formed at Ceuta would emplace him on the throne, he received no mercy for his conquered subjects and lands from the Tariq. Agila had underestimated the strength of Islamic faith in refusing to submit to infidels and Tariq with a wide open country before him used it as pretext to ignore the king. While Tariq reorganized his forces for the final conquest of Iberia, Agila continued to pester Tariq for a final treaty respecting his right and that of the Visigoths to Iberia. Unable to obtain such a treaty Witizian faction deposed him in 714, and elected Ardo. Nonetheless, the man who brought down an ancient kingdom and opened Europe to Saracen depradations for centuries continued to call himself king until his death in 716.

Preceded by: Roderic

King of the Visigoths 711–714

Succeeded by: Ardo