Ildibad

Who was Ildibad?

Ildibad was a king of the Ostrogoths in Italy, being chosen to replace Witiges, who had been engaged in various intregues with Belisarius, and had left Ravenna. He moved his capital to Pavia in 540, conquered Treviso, installing his nephew Totila as commander, and soon controlled Venetia and Liguria.

Ildibald reigned for only about a year before being killed by a Gepid at a palace banquet. After a brief interlude under Eraric, he was succeeded by his nephew Totila.

Ildibad was a nephew of Theudis, one of the Visigothic kings in Spain. This relationship led Peter Heather to suggest that both belonged to a powerful, non-royal clan.