Usdibad

Usdibad (Latin: Usdibadus, Uzdibaldus;^[a] fl. 566–567) was a Gepid military commander (dux) and fugitive that received refuge by Byzantine Emperor Justin II (r. 565–574) during the Lombard–Gepid War (567).

In 566, Lombard king Alboin concluded a treaty with the Pannonian Avars, to whom he promised the Gepids' land in case they won over them.^[1] The Gepids were destroyed by the Avars and Lombards in 567.^[1][2] Gepid king Cunimund was killed by Alboin himself.^[1] The Avars now occupied "Gepidia", forming the Avar Khaganate.^[1] The Byzantine Emperor intervened and took control of Sirmium (now Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia), also giving refuge to Gepid leader Usdibad, but the rest of Gepidia was taken by the Avars.^[2] According to István Bóna, Usdibad was probably a secret rival of Cunimund, and crossed the Sava to the Byzantines after the defeat.^[3]

Annotations

1. ^
   The name is a Germanic dithematic name, formed by *uzda-^[4] and *-badwō (-badus). The second root is found in the names of other Eastern Germanic military leaders, such as Gepid Asbadus and Burgundian Gundibadus,^[5] and means "battle".^[6]