Sisenand was the governor of
Septimania, when the nobles revolted against the Visigothic king,
Suintila, over the latter's confiscations of lands and distribution of privileges between the nobility and clergy. Sisenand joined the rebellion and overthrew
Suintila with the aid of
Dagobert I, King of the
Franks, to whom Gothic nobles offered a plate of pure gold in return, weighing 500 pounds. The plate was allegedly a gift that
Aetius, a Roman general, gave to
Thorismund, then king of the Visigoths, in 451. After successfully overthrowing Suintila and capturing
Zaragoza on 26 March 631, Sisenand proclaimed himself king. The victory of Sisenand also represented the triumph of the nobility over the common people, although the greatest beneficiary was the clergy, who took advantage of the weariness of the other contenders to enhance their own influence. The revolution failed, and Iudila was later killed. However, the council did not concede any hereditary right to the king; the next king would be elected by the bishops and magnates from one of their own. ==References==