Roderic, 'the last of the Goths,' whose tragic death, coincident with the downfall of the
Visigothic monarchy in Spain, has inspired poets and romancers (Scott, Southey, Geibel, Dalin) to throw round him a halo of glory. Next to nothing authentic is known about him; but according to the commonly accepted legend, he was the son of a noble who was blinded by King Witiza. A conspiracy having been formed against the hated Witiza by the clergy and the nobles of Roman blood, Roderic was elevated to the throne (710). The sons of Witiza, however, bided their time, meanwhile submitting to the usurper. At length certain malcontent nobles were engaged in a plot to dethrone Roderic by Count Julian, the governor of Ceuta (in North Africa), whose daughter had been outraged by the Visigothic king. Julian brought over with him a Moorish chief named Tarik at the head of 12,000 men. Roderic met the invading army on the banks of the Guadalete, near Xeres de la Frontera, on 26th July 711. The battle raged six days; but the sons of Witiza, who commanded the wings of the Christian army, deserted during the contest, and the rout of the Visigoths was complete. Roderic either died on the field or was drowned in the Guadalete, whilst attempting to swim his horse across. A third version, however, relates that he escaped and passed the rest of his life as a pious hermit. By this victory the Arabs became masters of southern Spain.