Leonidas

Leonidas I
King of Sparta

Reign	489–480 BC
Predecessor	Cleomenes I
Successor	Pleistarchus
Born	c. 540 BC Sparta
Died	11 August 480 BC (aged around 60) Thermopylae
Consort	Gorgo
Issue	Pleistarchus
Greek	Λεωνίδᾱς
House	Agiad
Father	Anaxandridas II
Mother	Unknown
Religion	Greek Polytheism

Leonidas I (/liːˈɒn.ᵻ.dəs/ lee-ON-i-dəs or /liːˈɒn.ᵻ.dæs/; Doric Λεωνίδᾱς, Leōnídās; Ionic and Attic Greek: Λεωνίδης, Leōnídēs, [leɔːnídɛːs]; "son of the lion"; died 11 August 480 BC) was a warrior king of the Greek city-state of Sparta. He was the husband of Gorgo, the daughter of Cleomenes I of Sparta and the 17th of the Agiad line; a dynasty which claimed descent from the mythological demigod Heracles. Leonidas had a notable participation in the Second Persian War, where he led the allied Greek forces to a last stand at the Battle of Thermopylae while attempting to defend the pass from the invading Persian army.