Anthemius

Born in the Eastern Roman Empire, Anthemius climbed quickly and married Marcia Euphemia, daughter of Emperor Marcian, positioning himself as the likely heir. But Marcian's sudden death in 457 left succession to the general Aspar, who feared Anthemius's independence and installed the pliable Leo instead. A decade later, that same Leo sent Anthemius west as emperor in 467, after a two-year throne vacancy. He faced two intractable problems: Euric's Visigoths across the Pyrenees and Geiseric's Vandals holding North Africa. His insistence on actual rule collided with Ricimer, the Gothic general who'd been the real power behind every recent Western throne. The friction turned to open war. On 11 July 472, Anthemius was beheaded.