AM ALARIC, one of the kings of the Visigoths. At the age of live years he succeeded to the throne of his father Alaric 11., but the sovereignty being usurped by his natural brother Gensalaic, he w as compelled to fly for shelter to Spain. His grandfather Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths, took up arms in defence of the infant king; expelled the usurper from the throne, and charged himself with the government of the Visigoths, till his death in 526 left the throne vacant Far Amalaric. The attachment of Amalaric to the cause and doctrines of ArMs, proved the ruin of this unfortunate prince. His wife Clotilda, (laughter of Clovis, king of France, having inherited the orthodox principles of her mother, resisted every attempt that was made by her husband, to instil into her the opinions of Arius. Enraged at the obsti nacy of Clotilda, Amalaric at last resorted to violent means : but the patience of the queen was now exhaust ed, and being no longer able to suffer in silence the un manly treatment of her husband, she applied for assist ance to her brother Childibert, king of France, and sent him a handkerchief stained with her blood, to testify the brutal violence of Amalaric. The French king in
vaded the territories of the Visigoths with a powerful army, defeated Amalaric, and entered Narbonne, the residence of his court. The vanquished monarch took refuge in his fleet, but imprudently returned to the city to recover the treasures which he had left. The enemy having just entered Narbonne, compelled him to retreat into a catholic church, where he was stabbed by a com mon soldier in 531. According to some historians, he fled into Spain after his defeat, and died a natural death at Barcelona. See Mod. Univ. Hist. vol. xvi. p. 10. (o)