Rotharit 1 | Prosopography of the Byzantine Empire |
| Sex | M |
| Floruit | L VII/E VIII |
| Dates | 700 (taq) / 701 (ob.) |
| Ethnicity | Lombard |
| Locations | Turin (N. Italy) (deathplace);
Turin (N. Italy) (exileplace);
Bergomum (Italy) (officeplace);
Bergomum (Italy) (residence);
Bergomum (Italy);
Novaria (N. Italy);
Ticinum (N. Italy) |
| Titles | Dux, Bergomum (Italy) (office);
King of the Lombards (office) |
| Textual Sources | Paulus Diaconus, Historia Gentis Langobardorum, ed. L. Bethmann and G. Waitz, MGH, Scr. Rer. Lang., pp. 12-187; also in MGH, Scr. Rer. Ger. 48, pp. 49-242 (history) |
Rotharit was the Lombard dux of Bergomum ("Rotharit Bergomensium ducem"); in 700/701 he and Ansprand 1 commanded the army of the Lombard king Liutpert 1, which was defeated at Novaria by Raginpert 1, who then seized the throne: Paul. Diac., Hist. Lang. VI 18. In 701, after the death of Raginpert 1, he was one of the commanders of the army of Liutpert 1 that was defeated at Ticinum by Raginpert 1's son, Aripert 1 (Aripert II), who also claimed the throne: Paul. Diac., Hist. Lang. VI 19. He then returned to his own city of Bergomum and claimed the throne for himself ("Rotharit, dux Bergamum civitatem suam rediens, regnum arripuit"); Aripert 1 besieged and captured Bergomum and seized Rotharit 1; his head and beard were shaved (was he forced to become a monk?) and he was exiled to Turin where, a few days later, he was put to death; styled "pseudoregem": Paul. Diac., Hist. Lang. VI 20.
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