A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Amalaswinth
AMALASWINTH,
Daughter of Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths, was mother of Athalaric, by Butheric. She inherited her father's possessions, as guardian of her son; endeavouring to educate him in the manners and learning of the more polished Romans, she offended her nobles, who conspired against her, and obtained the government of the young prince. Athalaric was inured, by them, to debauchery, and he sunk under his excesses, at the early age of seventeen, in the year 534. The afflicted mother knew not how to support herself against her rebellious subjects, but by taking as her husband and partner on the throne, her cousin Theodat, who, to his everlasting infamy, caused her to be strangled in a bath, 534. For learning or humanity she had few equals. She received and conversed with ambassadors from various nations without the aid of an interpreter.