[gothic-l] Amalaswintha

[Bertil Häggman]

Dianna,

Amalaswintha was indeed a remarkable women,
highly educated and a brilliant mind. She first married
a Visigothic prince, but he soon died. Their son
Atalarik was heir to the throne. A. reigned and a
difference of opinion developed between A. and
the Ostrogothic nobility. Atalrik died and the Gothic
nobility had problems accepting a female ruler.
She also, to their anger, sought reconciliation
with Byzantium. She had some noblemen
arrested and executed for being against her.
That made her a number of dangerous enemies.
Her cousin Teodahad was chosen as co-regent
but he soon moved over to the enemy camp. He
managed to have A. placed on an island, where
she was murdered. Soon after Teodahad met
the same faith.

I have no info on involvement of Theodora, but
don't think she was involved.

Anyway the assassination of A. was the beginning
of the end for the Ostrogothic kingdom.

Source: Lars Hermodsson, _Goterna - ett krigarfolk
och dess bibel_, Stockholm, Sweden: Atlantis, 1993.

Hermodsson is a Swedish professor.

Gothically

Bertil
> I am a grad student in history. I have been working on a paper for one of
> my classes on Thoedoric the Great. I became very interested in his daughter
> Amalasuntha (various spellings). Does anyone here have any knowledge of
> her. She ruled as "regent" while her son Athalric was a minor and after his
> death she ruled alone until she appointed her cousin as co-ruler.
> Subsequently, he locked her up on an island and she was killed by "three
> men seeking revenge". I believe, as do many, that her co-ruler had her
> killed. I also believe that Theodora, wife of Justinian had something to do
> with it also. Does anyone else have any opinions?



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