During his father's lifetime, they could, of course, do nothing; but they laid up the dread threat in their memory, and patiently waited for the moment when the throne would become vacant, and their enemy would assert his right to it.
Apparently, their patience was not very severely taxed.

Hormisdas II.
died within a few years; and Prince Hormisdas, as the only son whom he had left behind him, thought to succeed as a matter of course.

But the nobles rose in insurrection, seized his person, and threw him into a dungeon, intending that he should remain there for the rest of his life.
They themselves took the direction of affairs, and finding that, though King Hormisdas had left behind him no other son, yet one of his wives was pregnant, they proclaimed the unborn infant king, and even with the utmost ceremony proceeded to crown the embryo by suspending the royal diadem over the womb of the mother.

A real interregnum must have followed; but it did not extend beyond a few months.

The pregnant widow of Hormisdas fortunately gave birth to a boy, and the difficulties of the succession were thereby ended.