Although the illegitimate son of
Alaric II, he had been elected king by the Visigoths after Alaric had been killed in battle by the
Franks. Alaric's only legitimate son,
Amalaric, was a child and too young to rule. Initially Gesalec was supported by the powerful
Ostrogothic king
Theodoric the Great, but this support eventually faded. Between 508 and 511, he had one important Visigothic noble executed - Goiaric. Gesalec's rule was dealt a decisive blow when the
Burgundians, led by their king
Gundobad, captured and plundered
Narbonne, his capital. Gesalec fled to
Barcelona, where he remained until Theodoric deposed him. Theodoric took over the rule of the Visigothic kingdom for the next 15 years, collecting its taxes and appointing its officials, ostensibly in the name of Gesalic's half-brother, Amalaric, until he was old enough to rule. Thrasamund recognized he was no match for the Ostrogoths and withdrew his support for Gesalec, offering an apology and gold to Theodoric. Abandoned by Thrasamund, Gesalec fled to
Aquitania, where he remained for a year. Herwig Wolfram notes that although Aquitania had been conquered by the Franks following the
Battle of Vouille, it was still thickly populated by Visigoths and pro-Gothic Romans. Gesalec returned once again to Spain, and
was defeated by Theodoric's general
Ibbas outside of Barcelona, according to
Isidore of Seville at the twelfth milestone. Although he escaped from the battlefield, Gesalec was captured after crossing the river
Durance and subsequently executed. Wolfram explains that Gesalec had played "his last card, the Burgundians", but in a footnote observes "Isidore does not tell us whether Burgundians or Ostrogothic guards captured and killed the luckless Visigothic king." Peter Heather speculates his execution was "probably in 513." == References ==