Tulga

Tulga (d. 642) was king of the Visigoths between 639/640 and 642. He succeeded his father Chintila.

Access to the throne

He was elected king on his father's death by an assembly of nobles and bishops, however, given the hereditary nature of the succession, his reign produced discontent among the Visigothic nobility.

Tulga is credited with a certain naivety and weakness of character. It seems that the refugees were able to launch an attack, although the main warfare must have been carried out by the Basques. However, no major rebellion seems very likely before Chindasvinto's, as the ease with which he fell makes it unlikely that he would have resisted a previous rebellion.

The rebellion of Chindasvinto

Chindasvinto was already an old man, approximately 79 years old, when he began his rebellion. He had to hold some military command or important position in the border area with the Basques, who dominated the foothills of the western Pyrenees. He would perceive the weakness of the crown and decided to take a risk by summoning the nobles (Gothic landowners) and the "people" (probably the Gothic inhabitants of the area). He had himself proclaimed king, despite failing to obtain the approval of his action by the bishops. The place of the meeting was Pampalica, which is believed to be Pampliega, near Burgos, and not Pamplona.

After these events, historians differ on what happened, since it is necessary to rely on uncertain sources:

Those who rely on Sigeberto de Gembloux believe that the rebel, strong due to the support received and with the adhesion of other nobles, appeared in Toledo, deposed Tulga and had him tonsured, on a date close to April 16, 642, disabling him to reign as established by the conciliar canons. Tulga's subsequent fate, in such a case, is not known, although he would for some time remain in a monastery as a monk.

But leaning on San Ildefonso, the situation is different. The Chindasvinto rebellion obtained some support among the nobility, but since it did not have the support of the clergy, it did not succeed. Tulga retained the throne and Chindasvinto was considered a rebel, until the opportune death of the king, due to illness, allowed the recognition of the aspirant by the magnates and the clergy.