Mathaswentha

Mathaswentha
Historical Figure
Nationality:	Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy; Byzantine Empire after 540
Year of Birth:	6th century
Year of Death:	6th century(?)
Cause of Death:	Unknown
Parents:	Eutharic (father); Amalasuintha (mother)
Spouse:	Vittiges (d. 542) Germanus (d. 550)
Children:	Germanus
Relatives:	Thiudahad (cousin)
House:	Amali
Political Office(s):	Queen Consort of Italy
Fictional Appearances:

Shared Universe Story
"The Fake Pandemic" POD: 535 C.E.
Type of Appearance:	Contemporary (unnamed) reference
Spouse:	Urias
Children:	Unnamed child

Mataswintha, also spelled Matasuintha, Matasuentha, Mathesuentha, Matasvintha, Matasuntha, or Mathaswentha (fl. 550), was a daughter of the Ostrogoth nobles Eutharic and Amalasuintha, and a sister of Athalaric, King of the Ostrogoths. Their maternal grandparents were Theodoric the Great and Audofleda. She was forced to marry Vittiges, king of the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy (reigned 536-540) after the murder of his immediate predecessor, Mathaswentha's cousin Thiudahad.

Mathaswentha and Vittiges were captured by Belisarius and taken to Constantinople. When Vittiges died, Mathaswentha was married to Germanus, a cousin of Emperor Justinian I. She bore him a son, also called Germanus. When her husband died, she remained a widow.

Mathaswentha in "The Fake Pandemic"

Mathaswentha was briefly a love-interest of the mysterious Martinus Paduei. When she resolved to kill her competition for his affections, Paduei ended the liaison, and helped arrange her marriage to Urias, who, with Paduei's help, became king of Ostrogothic Italy.

Urias proved a dutiful husband, preferring to spend time with Mathaswentha and their child while Paduei drank with the Roman quaestor Tribonian.

References

Royal offices (OTL)
Preceded by Gudeliva	Queen Consort of the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy 536-540	Succeeded by Wife of Ildibad (name unrecorded)