old age she was tied to the tail of an unbroken horse and
dragged over the stones of Paris (600 A.D.).

At this time Leovigild (570-587), the Visigoth King, was ruling Spain
with a strong hand. He had assumed more splendor than any of his
predecessors. He had erected a magnificent throne in his palace at
Toledo, and his head, wearing the royal diadem, was placed on Spanish
coins, which may still be seen. A daughter of the terrible Brunhilde,
the Princess Ingunda, came over from France to become the wife of
Ermingild, the son of the great King Leovigild, and heir to his
throne.

All went smoothly until it was discovered that this fair Princess was
a Catholic, and was artfully plotting to win her husband over to her
faith from the faith of his fathers--Arianism.

Although Catholicism had made great inroads among their people, never
before had it invaded the royal household. And when his son declared
his intention to desert their ancient creed there commenced a terrible
conflict between father and son, which finally led to Ermingild's open
rebellion, and at last to his being beheaded by his father's order.
But this crime against nature was in vain. Arianism had reached the
limit of its life in Spain. Upon the death of Leovigild, his second
son, Recared (587-601), succeeded to the throne, and one of his first
acts was to abjure the old faith of the Gothic people, and Catholicism
became the established religion of Spain.

CHAPTER VII.

Toledo, the capital of the Visigoth Kings, is the city about which
cluster the richest memories of Spain in her heroic age. When
Leovigild removed his capital there from Seville in the sixth century,
it was already an ancient Jewish city, about which tradition had long
busied itself. To-day, as it sits on the summit of a barren hill, one
looks in vain for traces of its ancient Gothic splendor. But the spot
where now stands a beautiful cathedral is hallowed by a wonderful
legend, which Murillo made the subject of one of his great paintings.
It is said that the Apostle St. James founded on that very spot the
Church of _Santa Maria_; and that the Virgin, in recognition of
the dedication to her, descended from heaven to present its Bishop,
Ildofonso, with a marvelous chasuble. In proof of this miracle,
doubting visitors are still shown the marks of Mary's footprint upon a
stair in the chapel! However this may be, it is on this very spot that
King Recared formally abjured Arianism; a