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From ages 7 to 17 he was a Byzantine prisoner, but returned to his father's kingdom after and became king in 474 at the death of his father. Between 474 and 488, Theodoric and the Eastern Roman Emperor Zeno fought each other. In 488 Theodoric, while allied with Zeno, invaded Italy (at the time under the Germanic king Odoacer), which was taken in three battles. Odoacer surrendered in 493, and was slain by Theodoric. While Theodoric was Arian, he tolerated all sects of Christianity. Theodoric was succeeded on this death in 526 by his daughter Amalasuntha as regent for her son Athalaric. King of the Ostrogoths 474-526