Editing Duke (section)

=== Visigoths ===
The [[Visigoths]] retained the Roman divisions of their kingdom in the [[Iberian Peninsula]] and it seems that dukes ruled over these areas.{{citation needed|date=June 2008}} They were the most powerful landowners and, along with the bishops, elected the king, usually from their own midst. They were the military commanders and in this capacity often acted independently from the king, most notably in the latter period before the Muslim invasions.

The army was structured decimally with the highest unit, the [[thiufa]], probably corresponding to about 1,000 people from each ''civitas'' (city district). The cities were commanded by counts, who were in turn answerable to the dukes, who called up the ''thiufae'' when necessary.