Garibald I of Bavaria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Garibald I (also Garivald) (b. 540) was Duke of Bavaria from 555 until 591. He stands at the head of the Bavarian Dynasty.

After the death of the Merovingian king Theudebald, Theudebald's successor Clotaire I married his widow Waldrada (531 – 572), daughter of the Lombard king Wacho. Clotaire's bishops objected, so he gave Waldrada to Garibald to marry in 556. Not only did this grant Garibald prestige, but it created lasting political ties between the Bavarii and the Lombards of Pannonia and Bohemia. This would have consequences after the Lombards moved into Italy in 568.

Some time before 585, the Merovigian court attempted to bind Garibald more closely to their interests by arranging a marriage between Garibald's daughter Theodelinda and king Childebert II. At the same time the Merovigians were attempting to normalise relations with Authari, the Lombard king, by arranging a marriage between Childebert's sister and Authari. Both these proposals fell through. The offended Authari was engaged to Theodelinda in 588. Fearing an anti-Frankish axis, the Franks sent an army into Bavaria. Garibald's children Gundoald and Theodelinda fled to Italy. Authari married Theodelinda in May 589 and named his brother-in-law, Gundoald, Duke of Asti. In 590, the Franks invaded Lombardy with help from Byzantium, but were defeated.

In 591, Childebert normalised relations with the Lombards and Bavarii. Authari died in 590 and the Lombard dukes asked Theodelinda to marry again. She chose Agilulf as her husband and he was accepted as the next king. They then negotiated a peace with Childebert which lasted for decades. Peace with Bavaria was restored when Childebert named Tassilo rex (king) according to Paulus Diaconus. It is unknown whether Garibald was deposed or died. Nor is it clear what Tassilo's relationship to Garibald was; though if not his son, he was certainly a close relation.