The Gausi or Gausian dynasty was a prominent Lombard ruling clan in the second half of the 6th century (547–572). They were either

pagans Pagans may refer to: * Paganism, a group of pre-Christian religions practiced in the Roman Empire * Modern Paganism, a group of contemporary religious practices * Order of the Vine, a druidic faction in the ''Thief'' video game series * Pagan's M ...

or perhaps Arian Christians and were frequently at odds with the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. Under their rule, the Lombards first migrated into the Italian peninsula. The Gausi traced their lineage back to the

Goths The Goths ( got, 𐌲𐌿𐍄𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰, translit=''Gutþiuda''; la, Gothi, grc-gre, Γότθοι, Gótthoi) were a Germanic people who played a major role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the emergence of medieval Euro ...

and they were a prominent family when, in 539, the tribe came under the rule of a minor,

Walthari Walthari (also Waltheri, ) son of Wacho from his third wife Silinga, was a king of the Lombards from 539 to 546. He was an infant king, and rulership of the kingdom was administered by Audoin. Audoin probably killed Waltari before he reached manho ...

of the

Lethings {{Short description, Dynasty of Lombard kings The Lethings ( it, Letingi) were a dynasty of Lombard kings ruling in the 5th and 6th centuries until 546. They were the first Lombard royal dynasty and represent the emergence of the Lombard rulership ...

clan, and a Gausian,

Audoin Alduin (Langobardic: ''Aldwin'' or ''Hildwin'', ; also called Auduin or Audoin) was king of the Lombards from 547 to 560. Life Audoin was of the Gausi, a prominent Lombard ruling clan, and according to the ''Historia Langobardorum'', the so ...

, was elected his regent. In 547, Audoin succeeded Walthari, who died young of natural causes, and assumed the royal mantle by usurpation. Audoin's son and successor,

Alboin Alboin (530s – 28 June 572) was king of the Lombards from about 560 until 572. During his reign the Lombards ended their migrations by settling in Italy, the northern part of which Alboin conquered between 569 and 572. He had a lasting eff ...

, led the

Lombards The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 an ...

into

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

in 569 and died without male heirs in 572 or 573. He had made the Lombard kings into Kings of Italy. His successor was Cleph of the Beleos clan. The noble house of the Gausi continued through the first duke of

Friuli Friuli ( fur, Friûl, sl, Furlanija, german: Friaul) is an area of Northeast Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity containing 1,000,000 Friulians. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli Venezia Giuli ...

Gisulf I of Friuli Gisulf I ( la, Gisulfus I) was probably the first duke of Friuli (then ''Forum Julii''). He was a nephew of Alboin, first king of the Lombards in Italy, who appointed him duke around 569 after the Lombard conquest of the region, though some schola ...

, nephew of Alboin and grandson of Audoin. His heirs would eventually go on to secure power in the

Duchy of Benevento The Duchy of Benevento (after 774, Principality of Benevento) was the southernmost Lombard duchy in the Italian Peninsula that was centred on Benevento, a city in Southern Italy. Lombard dukes ruled Benevento from 571 to 1077, when it was conq ...

, leading to the establishment of another Gausian king of Italy, Grimoald of Benevento

Sources

*Jarnut, Jörg. ''Storia dei Longobardi''. Turin: Einaudi, 2002. *Rovagnati, Sergio. ''I Longobardi''. Milan: Xenia, 2003. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gausian Dynasty Gausian