biography
pronunciation:
[theeodahad]
| biography:
| Ostrogoth king of Italy (534–6). The nephew of King Theodoric, he was invited to share the throne with his cousin, Amalasuntha (543), on the death of her son Athalaric. He took the title of king, but Amalasuntha opposed the Ostrogoth nationalist faction and continued to rule as before. Theodahad had her exiled to an island in L Bolsena near Orvieto, where she was later strangled. Justinian responded by sending his general, Belisarius, to march on Rome (536). Theodahad was deposed and fled for Ravenna, but was captured and killed by a Goth. |
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