The Emergence of Europe (286-843) Part VI A Hun Named Attila

A series of civil wars and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes caused the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of imperial authority, several Germanic tribes struggled against each other for control of territory. The Franks became the dominant power in Gaul, but Greater Frankia repeatedly broke apart during wars between rival claimants for the throne. Finally, Charlemagne united the Franks, and greatly expanded the size of the kingdom. However, his grandsons proved unwilling to share the empire, and divided it in 843, laying the foundations for France and Germany. Episode Six explains that the system of orderly barbarian settlement proved its value when the Goths and the Burgundians joined Roman troops to defeat Attila. Instead of a reward, Aetius. the architect of the system, was assassinated. Then Valentinian was murdered, and a senator named Maximus became emperor. However, Maximus died after the Vandals sacked Rome, and his successor was soon overthrown by his generals.

 

Cast of Characters:

Aetius-generalissimo of the Western Roman Empire (433-454)

Valentinian-emperor, son of Constantius and Galla Placidia (425-455)

Licina Eudoxia-empress

Eudocia-eldest daughter of Valentinian

Placida-youngest daughter of Valentinian

Petronius Maximus-emperor, former senator (455)

Avitus-emperor, former senator (455-7)

Majorian-emperor, former general (457-461)

Libius Severus-emperor (461-465)

Procopius Anthemius-emperor, son-in-law of former emperor Marcian (467-472)

Ricimer-generalisimo of the Western Roman Empire (456-472)

Gaiseric-king of the Vandals and the Alans (428-477)

Huneric-son of Gaiseric

Theodoric II-king of the Visigoths, son of Theodoric I (453-466)

Euric-king of the Visigoths, brother of Theodoric II (466-484)

Atilla-king of the Huns (434-453)

 

Sources:

Christendom: The Triumph of a Religion-Peter Heather

Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West 376-568-Guy Halsall

The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians-Peter Heather

The Inheritance of Rome-A History of Europe from 400 to 1000-Chris Wickham

Empires of Faith: The Fall of Rome to the Rise of Islam, 500-700-Peter Sarris

Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages-Dan Jones

The Franks-Edward James

Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire that Rescued Western Civilization-Lars Brownsworth

Byzantium: The Early Centuries-John Julius Norwich

Visigothic Spain 409-711-Roger Collins

History of the Goths-Herwig Wolfram, translated by Thomas J. Dunlap

 

Image Credit

By Unknown author - [1] 'Grandes Chroniques de France, Mandragore, BNF, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=723625