Editing Gesalec

{{Short description|Visigothic King}}
{{Infobox royalty
|succession  = [[King of the Visigoths]]
|reign       = {{circa}} August 507 – 511
|predecessor = [[Alaric II]]
|successor   = [[Theodoric the Great]]
|birth_date  = {{circa}} 480
|death_date  = {{circa}} 513 (aged 33)
| spouse     = 
| father       = Alaric II
| mother       = 
|religion    = [[Arian Christianity]]
}}

'''Gesalic''' ([[Gothic language|Gothic]]: 𐌲𐌰𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌺𐍃, romanized: ''Gaisalaiks'', "dancing with spears"<ref>Robert Kasperski, ''The Visigothic King Gesalic, Isidore’s Historia Gothorum and the Goths’ Wars against the Franks and the Burgundians in the Years 507–514'', „Kwartalnik Historyczny” Vol. CXXIV, 2017 Eng.-Language Edition no. 1, pp. 7-37</ref>), ''Gesaleico'' in [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], ''Gesaleic'' in [[Catalan language|Catalan]], ({{circa|480}} – 513), was a king of the [[Visigoth]]s from 507 to 511, and died in 513.

==Biography==
Although the illegitimate son of [[Alaric II]], he had been elected king by the Visigoths after Alaric had been killed in battle by the [[Franks]]. Alaric's only legitimate son, [[Amalaric]], was a child and too young to rule.<ref>[[Herwig Wolfram]], ''History of the Goths'', translated by Thomas J. Dunlap (Berkeley: University of California, 1988), p. 309.</ref>

Initially Gesalec was supported by the powerful [[Ostrogothic]] king [[Theodoric the Great]], but this support eventually faded. Between 508 and 511, he had one important Visigothic noble executed - Goiaric.<ref name=Heather-232>Peter Heather, ''The Goths'' (Oxford: Blackwell, 1996), p. 232</ref> Gesalec's rule was dealt a decisive blow when the [[Burgundians]], led by their king [[Gundobad]], captured and plundered [[Narbonne]], his capital. Gesalec fled to [[Barcelona]], where he remained until Theodoric deposed him.<ref>Isidore of Seville, ''[[Historia de regibus Gothorum, Vandalorum et Suevorum]]'', chapter 37. Translation by Guido Donini and Gordon B. Ford, ''Isidore of Seville's History of the Goths, Vandals, and Suevi'', second revised edition (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1970), p. 18</ref> Theodoric took over the rule of the Visigothic kingdom for the next 15 years, collecting its taxes and appointing its officials, ostensibly in the name of Gesalic's half-brother, Amalaric, until he was old enough to rule.<ref name=Heather-232/>

Driven from the throne, Gesalec found a refuge in [[Carthage]] from the [[Vandal]] king [[Thrasamund]]. The Vandal king supported his cause, providing him money but no men, and in 510 and 511 the Vandal navy supported Gesalec's invasion of Spain. However, after receiving some stern letters from Theodoric,<ref>[https://www.gutenberg.org/files/18590/18590-h/18590-h.htm#v43 The letters of Cassiodorus]. ''Gutenberg.org''. Retrieved 27 July 2023.</ref> Thrasamund recognized he was no match for the Ostrogoths and withdrew his support for Gesalec, offering an apology and gold to Theodoric.<ref>Cassiodorus, ''Variae'', 5.43-4; Wolfram, ''History of the Goths'', p. 308</ref>

Abandoned by Thrasamund, Gesalec fled to [[Aquitania]], where he remained for a year. Herwig Wolfram notes that although Aquitania had been conquered by the Franks following the [[Battle of Vouille]], it was still thickly populated by Visigoths and pro-Gothic Romans.<ref>Wolfram, ''History of the Goths'', p. 245</ref>  Gesalec returned once again to Spain, and [[Battle of Barcelona (512)|was defeated]] by Theodoric's general [[Ibbas]] outside of Barcelona, according to [[Isidore of Seville]] at the twelfth milestone. Although he escaped from the battlefield, Gesalec was captured after crossing the river [[Durance]] and subsequently executed.<ref>Isidore of Seville, ch. 38; translation by Donini and Ford, p. 18f</ref> Wolfram explains that Gesalec had played "his last card, the Burgundians", but in a footnote observes "Isidore does not tell us whether Burgundians or Ostrogothic guards captured and killed the luckless Visigothic king."<ref>Wolfram, ''History of the Goths'', p. 245, p. 481 n. 615</ref> Peter Heather speculates his execution was "probably in 513."<ref name=Heather-232/>

{{commons category-inline|Gesaleico}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Sources==
{{refbegin|2}}
*Peter J. Heather, ''The Goths'', Oxford 1996. 
*Robert Kasperski,''The Visigothic King Gesalic, Isidore’s Historia Gothorum and the Goths’ Wars against the Franks and the Burgundians in the Years 507–514'', „Kwartalnik Historyczny” Vol. CXXIV, 2017 Eng.-Language Edition no. 1, pp.&nbsp;7–37. 
*Herwig Wolfram, ''History of the Goths'', Berkeley 1988. 
{{refend}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Balti dynasty]]||||511|name=King Gesalec of the Visigoths}}
{{s-reg|}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Alaric II]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Visigoth|King of the Visigoths]]|years=507&ndash;511}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Amalaric]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Visigothic kings}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gesalic}}
[[Category:513 deaths]]
[[Category:Balt dynasty]]
[[Category:6th-century Visigothic monarchs]]
[[Category:6th-century murdered monarchs]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]