Theodoric

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (Retd.)

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Theodoric the Great (454–526), often referred to as Theodoric, was king of the Germanic Ostrogoths (475–526) ruler of Italy (493–526), regent of the Visigoths (511–526), and a patricius of the Eastern Roman Empire. His Gothic name Þiudareiks translates into "people-king" or "ruler of the people".

Variants of name

• Devarishi (देवऋषि)
• Theodoric
• Theodoric the Great
• Theoderik of Estonia

Jat Gotras Namesake

• Thedkar = Theoderik of Estonia

History

Theodoric was born in Pannonia in 454, after his people had defeated the Huns at the Battle of Nedao. His father was King Theodemir, a Germanic Amali nobleman, and his mother was Ereleuva. Theodoric grew up as a hostage in Constantinople, receiving a privileged education, and he succeeded his father as leader of the Pannonian Ostrogoths in 473. Settling his people in lower Moesia, Theoderic came into conflict with Thracian Ostrogoths led by Theodoric Strabo, whom he eventually supplanted, uniting the peoples in 484.

Byzantine Emperor Zeno subsequently gave him the title of Patrician and the office of Magister militum (master of the soldiers), and even appointed him as Roman Consul. Seeking further gains, Theoderic frequently ravaged the provinces of the Eastern Roman Empire, eventually threatening Constantinople itself.

In 488, Emperor Zeno ordered Theoderic to overthrow the German Foederatus Odoacer, who had likewise been made patrician and even King of Italy, but who had since betrayed Zeno, supporting the rebellious Leontius. After a victorious three-year war, Theoderic killed Odoacer with his own hands, settled his 100,000 to 200,000 people in Italy, and founded an Ostrogothic Kingdom based in Ravenna.

Seeking to restore the glory of Ancient Rome, he ruled Italy in its most peaceful and prosperous period since Valentinian, until his death in 526. Memories of his reign made him a hero of German legend as Dietrich von Bern.

Family and progeny

Theoderic was married once. He had a concubine in Moesia, name unknown, with whom he had two daughters:

Theodegotha (ca. 473 – ?). In 494, she was married to Alaric II as a part of her father's alliance with the Visigoths.

Ostrogotha or Arevagni (ca. 475 – ?). In 494 or 496, she was married to the king Sigismund of Burgundy as a part of her father's alliance with the Burgundians.

By his marriage to Audofleda in 493 he had one daughter:

Amalasuntha, Queen of the Goths. She was married to Eutharic and had two children: Athalaric and Matasuntha (the latter being married to Witiges first, then, after Witiges' death, married to Germanus Justinus, neither had children). Any hope for a reconciliation between the Goths and the Romans in the person of a Gotho-Roman Emperor from this family lineage was shattered.

After his death in Ravenna in 526, Theoderic was succeeded by his grandson Athalaric. Athalaric was at first represented by his mother Amalasuntha, who was a regent queen from 526 until 534. The kingdom of the Ostrogoths, however, began to wane and was conquered by Justinian I starting after the rebellion of 535 and finally ending in 553 with the Battle of Mons Lactarius.

थिओडेरिक: ठाकुर देशराज

ठाकुर देशराज ने लिखा है ... देवऋषि^* - इनको यूनानियों ने थिओडेरिक नाम से याद किया है। इन्होंने 489 ईसवी में इटली के तत्कालीन बादशाह है ओडोवकर पर चढ़ाई की थी। 4 वर्ष तक लड़ाई चलती रही। अंत में बादशाह ने आधा राज्य जाटों को बांट दिया। थोड़े दिन बाद देवऋषि ने बादशाह को मरवा कर सारे इटली पर कब्जा कर लिया। इटली का बादशाह होते ही देवऋषि ने प्रजा सुधार के कार्य आरंभ कर दिए। बाग-बगीचे सड़क और नहर में नगरों की मरम्मत कराई। रोमन लोगों को ऊंची ऊंची नौकरियां दी। उनके राज्य से रोम की जनता इतनी खुश हुई कि यह कहती थी कि यह लोग पहले से ही क्यों न आ गए। 33 वर्ष के राज्यकाल में

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* याद रहे कि इन लोगों के नामांकन में ऋषि शब्द रहने के कारण एशिया में यह लोग ऋषिक कहलाने लग गए थे।

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[पृ.165]: देव ऋषि ने रोम को कुबेरपुरी बना दिया था। इतने अच्छे बहादुर और उदार राजा की 526 ई. में मृत्यु हो गई।