Goiswintha

Goiswintha or Goisuintha (died 588) was a Visigothic queen consort of Hispania and Septimania. She was the wife of two kings, Athanagild and Liuvigild. The Visigothic Kingdom during the late 6th century was going through a period of political and religious transformation. Located on the Iberian Peninsula, the kingdom incorporated many Roman traditions, laws, and religious practices as much of their population was Catholic, while the ruling elite were still Arian Christian. As queen, Goiswintha played a crucial role in the religious conflicts between Arians and Catholics. Goiswintha's actions, including her resistance to the Catholic conversion of her family members and her involvement in politics, reflected the religious transformation that happened in her time. Goiswintha’s fervent push to keep Arianism in the limelight in her kingdom would lead to a major rebellion led by her stepson, Hermenegild. She would also lead a conspiracy against her other stepson, Reccared, which would lead to the end of her life. These events would be the end of the religious war against Arians and Nicene Christianity.

Historians have debated about the Visigothic Kingdom and their contributions to the fall of Rome claiming that the Visigoths and other goths were actively involved. According to Peter Heather in his 2006 book, The Fall of the Roman Empire, Heather argues that there could have been no fall of Rome without the barbarians. This led to the rise of gothic kingdoms throughout Rome, including the Visigoths. However, Walter Goffart in his 2006 book Barbarian Tides: The Migration Age and the Later Roman Empire, argues that the fall of Rome was due to a transformation of the empire that was unable to transform because of internal conflicts. He also states that the argument of barbarians overthrowing the Roman Empire is "deeply flawed". Gaffart does make the claim that barbarians were present in Rome and had a major impact, but they could not have been the sole reason for the collapse. Goiswintha existed as a bastion of this anti-Roman (what Romans would have seen as barbarian) identity.