Vitiges (475–541)
Born 475 CE, died 541 CE.
Vitiges (c. 480–542) was king of Ostrogothic Italy from 536 to 540 during the Gothic War between the Ostrogoths (Goths) and the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Justinian I. Vitiges came from humble roots and had a respected military career under Theodoric the Great, later becoming one of the king's bodyguards and adviser to King Athalaric. Under King Theodahad, he became leader of the king's bodyguards and the Gothic forces in Rome. He rose to power after the overthrow of Theodahad, whose failure to counter the Byzantines at the onset of the Gothic War had angered the Gothic nobility. To strengthen his legitimacy, Vitiges forced a marriage to Mataswintha, the granddaughter of Theodoric and daughter of Amalasuntha. His reign began during a period of crisis, as the Byzantine general Belisarius had already conquered Sicily, much of southern Italy and Rome in December 536. Vitiges attempted to halt the Byzantine advance by besieging Rome in 537 with superior numbers but the defenders under Belisarius resisted the assault.
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