Editing Ildibad (section)

==Biography==
Ildibad was a nephew of [[Theudis]], an [[Ostrogoth]] king of the [[Visigothic Kingdom|Visigoths]] in [[Spain]]. This relationship led [[Peter Heather]] to suggest that both belonged to a powerful, non-royal clan.<ref>{{harvnb|Heather|1998|p=242}}</ref> In 540, the Ostrogothic king [[Witiges]] was taken prisoner by [[Belisarius]] in [[Ravenna]]. Ildibad's children were also taken prisoner.<ref name="Wolfram349">{{harvnb|Wolfram|1990|pp=349–353}}</ref> Ildibad was one of the Goths north of the [[Po (river)|Po river]] who still refused to surrender to Roman authority. Following Witiges' capture, however, Ildibad had attempted to negotiate terms of surrender with [[Belisarius]], perhaps because of the fate of his children.<ref name="Wolfram349"/>

After Witiges's capture, the leading candidate for the Ostrogothic throne became [[Uraias]], who was Witiges' nephew, a skilled military commander and in charge of [[Ticinum]] ([[Pavia]]). Uraias, however, declined because his family lacked "royal fortune", and instead suggested Ildibad, who was at that time in charge of [[Verona]].<ref name="Wolfram349"/> These were the only cities still held by the Ostrogoths at this time.<ref name="Bury227">{{harvnb|Bury|2013|pp=227–228}}</ref> After being elected king in 540, Ildibad moved his capital to Pavia. Ildibad again attempted to negotiate a surrender, but after Belisarius sailed to [[Constantinople]] along with Witiges and Ildibad's family, the war resumed.<ref name="Wolfram349"/> The Gothic territory at this time consisted only of a narrow strip of land between Pavia and Verona, while the army consisted of barely 1,000 men, although this number was growing.<ref name="Wolfram349"/>

The lack of coordination among the remaining Byzantine commanders enabled Ildibad to extend his authority throughout [[Liguria]] and [[Veneto|Venetia]].<ref name="Bury227"/> In AD 541 he was [[Battle of Treviso|engaged]] outside the heavily defended city of [[Treviso]] by its military commander Vitalius and a sizable body of [[Herules]].<ref name="Wolfram349"/> The battle was a decisive victory for the Goths, with Vitalius barely escaping while the [[Heruli]] leader was killed.<ref name="Bury227"/> His nephew [[Totila]] then became military commander of [[Treviso]].<ref name="Wolfram349"/> Ildibad was subsequently able to extend his authority across the entire [[Po Valley]]. The victory gave him increased support among the Goths, while the ruinous Roman taxation of the provinces and lack of coordination among generals enabled him to acquire many Roman deserters.<ref name="Wolfram349"/>

In 541, Ildibad had Uraias murdered.<ref name="Bury227"/> According to [[Procopius]], Uraias's murder had been instigated by Ildibad's wife, who felt insulted by the lavish lifestyle of Uraias' wife.<ref name="Bury227"/> [[Herwig Wolfram]] suggests that this is an invention by [[Procopius]] to "personalize" the causes of political events, and that the real reason for Uraias' murder was that the Witiges clan had allied with non-Gothic barbarians, including the [[Rugii]] and probably [[Gepids]], to conspire against Ildibad's rule.<ref name="Wolfram349"/> In any case, in May 541, Ildibad was murdered at a royal [[banquet]] by his [[Gepid]] bodyguard Velas whose Gothic lover was married off to someone else by Ildibad while Velas was away.<ref name="urlRome Resurgent: War and Empire in the Age of Justinian - Peter Heather - Google Książki">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TE1YDwAAQBAJ&q=venetius+roman+military+deteriorated&pg=PT346 |title=Rome Resurgent: War and Empire in the Age of Justinian  |page=346 |isbn=9780199362769 |last1=Heather |first1=Peter |author1-link=Peter Heather |date=May 2018 |publisher=Oxford University Press }}</ref><ref name="Bury227"/> The lack of a suitable Gothic successor enabled the Rugians to make their chief [[Eraric]] king of the Goths.<ref name="Wolfram349"/> Eraric, however, betrayed the Goths and secretly offered to surrender the Gothic kingdom to the Byzantines in return for money.<ref name="Bury227"/> As a result, the Goths at Pavia offered Ildibad's nephew Totila the throne.<ref name="Wolfram349"/> Totila was at that point himself negotiating with the imperial commander at [[Ravenna]], and demanded the killing of Eraric if he was to accept the throne.<ref name="Wolfram349"/> After [[Eraric]] was killed in October 541, Totila became king of the Ostrogoths, a title he held for more than ten years.<ref name="Wolfram349"/>