[4] Ibid., sec. 9.  This same Servandus, the meanest of timeservers, seeing the Sultan’s (Abdallah’s) cause failing, deserted to the rebel Omar and his Christian following, and was killed at Polei(?)—­Ibn Hayyan., apud Dozy, ii. 270.  His Arab name was Sherbil, and he was beheaded at Cordova by the Arabs.—­See De Gayangos’ note on Al Mak., ii. 451, 2.

We have had occasion to mention one or two cases of Church, and national, Councils held in Spain under the Arabs, and it will be worth while to enumerate all the instances which are recorded, that we may contrast them with those held under the Goths.  It was one of the most characteristic features of the Old Church in Spain that it was united so closely with the civil power as almost to render the Government of Spain a theocracy.  This intimate connection of Church and State was naturally overthrown by the Arab conquest; but the Moslem rulers, seeing how useful such institutions as general councils were likely to be in adjusting the relations between Mussulmans and Christians, both allowed purely ecclesiastical councils to be called under their jurisdiction, and also summoned others in which they took part themselves, together with Jews, to the great scandal of the stricter Christians.[1]

To the purely ecclesiastical kind belong a council held at Seville by Elipandus[2] to condemn the errors of Migetius; and another, held by Cixila at Toledo in 776, against the errors of Egila, bishop of Elvira.[3] Whether Egila abjured his error is not known, but it is certain that he remained bishop.

Elipandus is also said, but on very doubtful authority, to have held a council, whereat he renounced his own error of Adoptionism.[4]

    [1] We even find in 962 that the bishops of Toledo and Cordova
    had Moslem names, viz., Obeidollah ibn Kasim (Al Makkari, ii.
    162), and Akbar ibn Abdallah.  Dozy, iii. 99.

    [2] The exact date is unknown.  Fleury, ii. p. 235.

[3] “Pseudo Luitprand,” sec. 236, says—­“Ad concilium ex omnibus Hispaniae partibus concurrunt.”  See also Pope Adrian I.’s Letter to the bishops of Spain in 785.  Very little is known of this Egila, nor is it certain of what see he was the bishop.

    [4] See below, p. 131 ad fin. and 166 ff.

But the other class of councils, partly ecclesiastical and partly political, seem to have been commoner, and we have already seen how Reccafredus, Bishop of Seville, in conjunction with the Moslem authorities, held such a council, in order to coerce the fanatical party among the Christians; and we have a more particular account of another, which was held by Hostegesis, Bishop of Malaga, and Servandus, Count of Cordova.[1] This council seems to have had some connection with the preceding one under Reccafredus, for Servandus was a strong and unscrupulous opponent of the party led by Eulogius, while Samson was their devoted supporter,