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Amalafrida, sister of Theodoric the Great, the founder of the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy, married the Vandal King Thrasamund. Their marriage marks an alliance between the two kingdoms, which opened a new era of prosperity for the Vandals in Africa.
Context
The Goths were divided into two tribes: the Visigoths (Western Goths) and the Ostrogoths (Eastern Goths). Around 375, when the Huns invaded their territory, some Goths fled into Roman territory, where they waged war against the Romans. The Visigoths are the descendants of the Goths who settled in Roman territory, while the Ostrogoths are the descendants of those who remained in their historical territory East of the Danube.
The Ostrogoths were vassals of the Huns. After Attila the Hun died in 453, they became independent and migrated towards the Balkans. They were loyal to Aspar, the commander of the Eastern Roman army, who had Gothic origin. They agreed to fight for the Roman army, except against the Vandals.
In 476, the last Western Roman Emperor Romulus Augustulus was deposed by the Germanic chief Odoacer. In 493, Theodoric, King of the Ostrogoths, invaded Italy, overthrew Odoacer and founded the Visigothic Kingdom of Italy, with Ravenna as its capital. His Kingdom quickly became the most powerful of the new Germanic kingdoms in Europe.
To increase his influence, Theodoric allied himself by marriage with other Germanic kingdoms. He married the daughter of Childeric I, King of the Franks (the sister of the famous King Clovis), and gave his two daughters in marriage to Sigismund, King of the Burgunds, and to Alaric II, King of the Spanish Visigoths. Finally, he arranged the marriage between his sister Amalafrida and Thrasamund, King of the Vandals of Carthage.
Amalafrida of Carthage
Amalafrida was the daughter of the Ostrogothic King Theodemir. Born around 470, she was very young when her father died and her brother Theodoric succeded him. She had two children from her first marriage; her husband’s name is unknown. Her son Theodahad later becamer King of the Ostrogoths, while her daugther Amalaberga married Hermanfrid, King of the Thuringii.
Around 500, Theodoric the Great decided to arrange a marriage between Amalafrida, who was now a widow, and Thrasamund, the new King of the Vandals. Theodoric sent Amalafrida to Carthage with a considerable dowry. She was accompanied by 1.000 elite Gothic warriors affected to Thrasamund’s service, and 5.000 armed guards for her personal security.
Thrasamund’s alliance with Theodoric the Great marks the beginning of an era of peace and prosperity for the Vandal Kingdom of Africa, propitious to the flourishment of arts and culture. Nothing else is known about Amalafrida’s role as Queen of the Vandals, but she certainly contributed to Gothic influence in Carthage.
In 511, Gesalec, King of the Spanish Visigoths, was overthrown by Theodoric the Great and fled to Carthage. Thrasamund supported him, and entrusted him with the Vandal fleet to invade Spain; but after he received a letter of warning from Theodoric the Great, he backed out to avoid provoking Theodoric.
After Thrasamund’s death in 523, his successor Hilderic decided to lead a policy of religious tolerance for the African Catholic Christians, who were persecuted by his predecessors. Amalafrida was opposed to this policy, and led a revolt against Hilderic. Her supporters fought the army of Hilderic at Capsa (Gafsa) and were defeated. Amalafrida was arrested and imprisoned, and then died in prison. Hilderic also had her Gothic soldiers executed, in order to reduce Gothic influence in his Kingdom.
