oa The See of Dumium/ Braga before and under Visigothic Rule

In 409/411 began the process that would change Gallaecia into the Germanic kingdom of the Sueves. After a series of challenges, mainly from Vandals and Visigoths, they established themselves as the sole rulers of Gallaecia until their defeat in 585 at the hands of the Visigothic Arian, King Leovigild. Within this milieu the Church gradually led the Sueves out of paganism and Arianism to the Catholic faith notably under St. Martin of Braga in the sixth century. In 589 Hispania underwent a significant change when King Reccared at the Third Council of Toledo abjured Arianism thus making all of Hispania Catholic. To understand how the Gallaecian Church led by the bishops of Dumium/ Braga fared under the Visigothic rulers of Toledo we will consider the ecclesial-political background up to 585/589. The study will close with the Third Council of Braga (675) and the many councils that met in Hispania to assess the place and role of all the bishops from Gallaecia.