Editing Alboin (section)

== Father's rule ==
The Lombards under King [[Wacho]] had migrated towards the east into Pannonia, taking advantage of the difficulties facing the [[Ostrogothic Kingdom]] in Italy following the death of its founder, [[Theodoric the Great|Theodoric]], in 526. Wacho's death in about 540 brought his son [[Walthari]] to the throne, but, as the latter was still a minor, the kingdom was governed in his stead by Alboin's father, Audoin, of the [[Gausian dynasty|Gausian]] clan. Seven years later Walthari died, giving Audoin the opportunity to crown himself and overthrow the reigning [[Lethings]].<ref>Jarnut 1995, pp. 16–18</ref>

Alboin was probably born in the 530s in [[Pannonia]],<ref name="PLRE3">Martindale 1992, ''s.v. Alboin'', pp. 38–40</ref> the son of Audoin and his wife, [[Rodelinda (6th century)|Rodelinda]]. She may have been the niece of King Theodoric and betrothed to Audoin through the mediation of Emperor [[Justinian I|Justinian]].<ref>Rovagnati 2003, pp. 28–29</ref><ref>Amory 2003, p. 462</ref> Like his father, Alboin was raised a pagan, although Audoin had at one point attempted to gain Byzantine support against his neighbours by professing himself a Christian.<ref>Wickham 1989, pp. 29–30</ref> Alboin took as his first wife the Christian [[Chlothsind (queen)|Chlothsind]], daughter of the [[Franks|Frankish]] King [[Chlothar I|Chlothar]]. This marriage, which took place soon after the death of the Frankish ruler [[Theudebald]] in 555, is thought to reflect Audoin's decision to distance himself from the Byzantines, traditional allies of the Lombards, who had been lukewarm when it came to supporting Audoin against the Gepids. The new Frankish alliance was important because of the Franks' known hostility to the Byzantine empire, providing the Lombards with more than one option.<ref>Jarnut 1995, p. 21</ref><ref name="DBI">Bertolini 1960, pp. 34–38.</ref> However, the ''[[Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire]]'' interprets events and sources differently, believing that Alboin married Chlothsind when already a king in or shortly before 561, the year of Chlothar's death.<ref name="PLRE3"/>

Alboin first distinguished himself on the battlefield in a clash with the Gepids. At the [[Battle of Asfeld]] (552), he killed [[Turismod]], son of the Gepid king [[Thurisind]], in a victory that resulted in Emperor Justinian's intervention to maintain equilibrium between the rival regional powers.<ref>Rovagnati 2003, p. 28</ref> After the battle, according to a tradition reported by [[Paul the Deacon]], to be granted the right to sit at his father's table, Alboin had to ask for the hospitality of a foreign king and have him donate his weapons, as was customary. For this initiation, he went to the court of Thurisind, where the Gepid king gave him Turismod's arms.<ref name="PLRE3"/><ref>Ausenda 1999, p. 433</ref> [[Walter Goffart]] believes it is probable that in this narrative Paul was making use of an oral tradition, and is sceptical that it can be dismissed as merely a typical ''[[Literary topos|topos]]'' of an [[epic poetry|epic poem]].<ref>Goffart 1988, p. 387</ref>