# Rothari

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King of the Lombards from 636 to 652

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Rothari King of the Lombards Miniature of King Rothari from the 11th century "Codex Legum Longobardorum" Reign 636–652 Predecessor Arioald Successor Rodoald Born c. 606 Died 652(652-00-00) (aged 45–46) Spouse Gundeberga Issue Rodoald Dynasty Harodingian Father Nanding Religion Arian

**Rothari** (or **Rothair**) (c. 606–652), of the [house of Arodus](/source/Harodingi), was [king of the Lombards](/source/King_of_the_Lombards) from 636 to 652; previously he had been duke of [Brescia](/source/Brescia). He succeeded [Arioald](/source/Arioald), who was an [Arian](/source/Arianism) like himself, and was one of the most energetic of Lombard kings. [Fredegar](/source/Fredegar) relates (*Chronicle*, 71) that at the beginning of his reign he put to death many insubordinate nobles, and that in his efforts for peace he maintained very strict discipline.

## Life

Rothari was the son of Nanding, and Duke of Brescia. Upon the death of Arioald in 636, he was elected King of the Lombards. He married Arioald's widow, [Gundeberga](/source/Gundeberga), daughter of King [Agilulf](/source/Agilulf) and Queen [Theodelinda](/source/Theodelinda). The Catholic Gundeberga agreed to marry the [Arian](/source/Arianism) Rothari because he was tolerant of Catholics. He managed to reinforce the central authority of the king in the face of resistance on the part of the dukes.[1]

## Career

Italy at the time of Rothari.

Rothari conquered [Genoa](/source/Genoa) in 641 and all remaining Eastern Roman territories in the lower [valley of the Po](/source/Po_River), including [Oderzo](/source/Oderzo) (*Opitergium*) in 641. Before commencing a campaign the rest of [Eastern Roman](/source/Eastern_Roman_empire) [Liguria](/source/Liguria) in 643, he issued the [Edictum Rothari](/source/Edictum_Rothari) a compilation of Lombard law based on ancient customs.[1] According to [Paul the Deacon](/source/Paul_the_Deacon), "Rothari then captured all the cities of the Romans which were situated upon the shore of the sea from the city of [Luna](/source/Luni%2C_Italy) in Tuscany up to the boundaries of the Franks." (IV.xlv)

With these quick conquests, he left the [Eastern Roman Empire](/source/Byzantine_Empire) with only the Ravennan marshes in northern Italy. The [exarch of Ravenna](/source/Exarch_of_Ravenna), [Plato](/source/Plato_(Exarch)), tried to regain some territory, but his invading army was defeated by Rothari on the banks of the Scultenna (the [Panaro](/source/Panaro_(river))) near [Modena](/source/Modena), with the loss of 8,000 men, in 645. However, he recaptured Oderzo at same year. Oderzo finally was razed again by [Grimoald](/source/Grimoald_I_of_Benevento) in 667.

## Legacy

According to [Paul the Deacon](/source/Paul_the_Deacon), Rothari proved militarily successful - he was the conqueror of [Liguria](/source/Liguria) - but his greatest legacy was legislative. In 642/643 he promulgated the *[Edictum Rothari](/source/Edictum_Rothari)*, the first written codification of Lombard customary law, composed in [Latin](/source/Latin) and affirmed in a [gairethinx](/source/Gairethinx). This substantial code, which survives independently, provided a lasting legal framework for the kingdom and marked a turning point in the institutional consolidation of Lombard rule.[2]

Although not of the dominant [Bavarian dynasty](/source/Bavarian_dynasty) that controlled much of the succession between 616 and 712, Rothari reinforced his position by marrying into it, following the same pattern later taken by [Grimoald of Benevento](/source/Grimoald%2C_King_of_the_Lombards). Like Grimoald, he fought the [Byzantines](/source/Byzantine_Empire) and issued laws, establishing himself as both a warrior and a lawgiver. His reign represents the acceptance of two cornerstones of the Lombard political tradition: the Romanized court of [Agilulf](/source/Agilulf) and the codification of Lombard law.[2]

He was succeeded by his son [Rodoald](/source/Rodoald). A [baptistery](/source/Baptistery) in [Monte Sant'Angelo](/source/Monte_Sant'Angelo) is traditionally known as the "Tomb of Rothari", although he was probably buried in the church of [San Giovanni Domnarum](/source/San_Giovanni_Domnarum) in [Pavia](/source/Pavia), founded by his wife [Gundeberga](/source/Gundeberga).[3][4]

## Notes

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-treccani_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-treccani_1-1) ["Ròtari re dei Longobardi", Treccani](https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/rotari-re-dei-longobardi/)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-britannica_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-britannica_2-1) ["Rothari"](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rothari). *Encyclopædia Britannica*. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 24 August 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Majocchi, Piero. ["The politics of memory of the Lombard monarchy in Pavia, the kingdom's capital"](https://www.academia.edu/958478). *Materializing Memory. Archaeological material culture and the semantics of the past*. Retrieved 29 July 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Chiesa di S. Giovanni Domanarum- complessso"](https://www.lombardiabeniculturali.it/architetture/schede/PV240-00123/). *Lombardia Beni Culturali*. Retrieved 3 August 2022.

## References

- [Paul the Deacon, *Historia Langobardorum* IV.xlii and xlv](http://www.northvegr.org/lore/langobard/028.php) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20060324034319/http://www.northvegr.org/lore/langobard/028.php) 2006-03-24 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) ( English translation by William Dudley Foulke, 1907)

Regnal titles Preceded by Alchis Duke of Brescia ? – 636 Succeeded by Gaidoald Preceded by Arioald King of the Lombards 636–652 Succeeded by Rodoald

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rothari](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothari) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothari?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.