The Gothic kings in their courts were little more than decorative figureheads that were raised or deposed according to the exigencies of the moment.

The nation was a theocratic republic, and its true head was the Archbishop of Toledo.
Gabriel grouped the long line of famous prelates by characters.

First of all the saints, the apostles in the heroic age of Christianity, bishops as poor as their own people, barefooted, fugitives from the Roman persecution, and bowing their heads at last to the executioner, firm in the hope of gaining fresh strength to the doctrine for which they sacrificed their lives--Saint Eugenio, Melancio, Pelagio, Patruno and other names that shone in the past scarcely breaking through the mists of legend.

Then came the archbishops of the Gothic era; those kingly prelates who exercised that superiority over the conquering kings by which the spiritual power succeeded in dominating the barbarian conquerors.

Miracles accompanied them to confound the Arians, and celestial prodigies were at their orders to terrify and crush those rude men of war.