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Theodoric II (Gothic: Þiudareiks II), Teodorico in Spanish and Portuguese, (c. 426 – early 466) was the eighth King of Visigoths from 453 to 466.
Theoderic II, son of Theodoric I, obtained the throne by killing his elder brother Thorismund. English historian Edward Gibbon writes that "he justified this atrocious deed by the design which his predecessor had formed of violating his alliance with the empire." In late 458 Western Roman Emperor Majorian entered Septimania to attack Theodoric and reclaim the province for the empire. Majorian defeated Theodoric at the Battle of Arelate, forcing the Visigoths to abandon Septimania and withdraw west to Aquitania. Under the new treaty with the Romans, the Visigoths had to relinquish their recent conquests in Hispania and return to federate status. However, after the assassination of Majorian in 461, Theodoric recaptured Septimania and invaded Hispania again. Theodoric was himself murdered in 466 by his younger brother Euric, who succeeded him to the throne. |
