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Cleph

Type Figure Region Northern Italy Time c. 530–574 Also known as Cleph、Clefi、克莱菲

Cleph (c. 530–574) was the noble elected king of the Lombards after the assassination of Alboin, reigning about eighteen months (572–574).…

Timeline

  1. c. 530–572Northern Italy · Northern ItalyCleph was a senior Lombard noble who took part in Alboin's invasion of Italy in 568 and held an important position in the early years of the Lombard Kingdom. After Alboin's assassination, the Lombards elected him as the new king.
  2. 572–574Pavia · LombardyCleph reigned for about eighteen months and was renowned for his brutal repression of the Roman nobility and the Catholic Church in Italy, confiscating large amounts of church property and slaughtering or expelling local nobles. Paul the Deacon described him as a tyrannical ruler. His policies intensified tensions between the Lombards and the local population.
  3. 574Northern Italy · Northern ItalyIn 574, Cleph was assassinated by a servant in his household after a reign of only about eighteen months. After his death, the Lombards failed to agree on a new king, and instead the dukes of each region carved out their own domains, a period known as the "Rule of the Dukes" (574–584), lasting about ten years until Cleph's son Authari restored royal authority in 584.

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