Roderick

Roderick (died 711) was the last Visigothic king of Spain, who died in the Muslim invasion. Roderick’s predecessor, King Witiza, died in 710, leaving two young sons, for whom Witiza’s widow and family tried to secure the succession. But a faction of the Visigothic nobles elected Roderick and drove the Witizans from Toledo. Roderick seems to have been dux (duke) or military commander of one of the provinces, perhaps Baetica. He faced a revolt of...