Return to main History of Spain page
Back to the Time of the Romans - 218 BC to AD 408
As the Roman Empire fell apart, other factions moved into Iberia with little resistance, while the Visigoths moved towards Rome from the around the River Danube.
The Goths settled in southern France, then moved south into Spain, later being pushed out of France by the Francs.
The Goths took Toledo as their capital, and mainly lived in the interior of Spain, while the Hispano-Romans tended to live on the coastline.
The period saw a number of kings having short reigns, usually due to having been murdered and the allegiance to any of them was probably weak.
In the mean-time, the Moors from north Africa had made a couple of quick skirmishes into southern Spain.
Having liked what they saw, ie there were riches to be grabbed, a more serious assault was launched, possibly encouraged Hispano-Romans who thought the Moors would do a quick smash and grab then return home (having destroyed the Visigoths rule in the process).
Of course, the Moors stayed for quite a while!
A point to note is that this period is not responsible for the Gothic architecture we see today, that dating from a much later period (12 century onwards), the term having originally been used as an insult.
On to the Time of the Moors - 711 to 1492