![[Saint Hermengild]](http://saints.sqpn.com/sainth17.jpg "39kb jpg detail from 'The Triumph of Hermengild', by Francisco de Herrera the Younger, 1622-1685, oil on canvas, Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain; for more information on the image, see the Web Gallery of Art")
Also known as
- Ermengild
- Hermenegild
Profile
Son of the Spanish Visigoth Arian king Levigild, and raised in Arianism. In 579 he married the Catholic princess Indgund, who, with Saint Leander, bishop of Seville, Spain, converted him back to orthodox Christianity. Immediately disinherited by his father.
Publicly renounced and fought against Arianism; he expected support from outside anti-Arian groups, but it never materialized, and he was defeated by his father‘s forces. King of Seville. At one point he reconciled with his father, but his step-mother, Goswintha, caused friction between them because of her staunch Arian views. Arrested, tortured, and martyred on orders of his father for refusing to denounce Catholicism and refusing to accept communion from a heretic bishop.
- young prince in armor being borne to heaven while contemplating the crucifix while around him angels carry an axe, chains, royal regalia, a palm, and a rose wreath and heretical bishops and king stand below him
- prince with an axe
- ax
Additional Information
- Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
- Catholic Encyclopedia
- Colección de Verda
- Heiligen Lexikon
- Kirken i Norge
- Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
- New Catholic Dictionary
- Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
- Wikipedia
MLA Citation
- “Saint Hermengild“. Saints.SQPN.com. 12 April 2013. Web. 18 May 2013. <>