455 Capture and sack of Rome by Genseric, at invitation of Valentinian’s widow Eudoxia.
477 Huneric, Genseric’s eldest son, married to Eudocia, daughter of Eudoxia, succeeds at death of Genseric. An ardent Arian, he persecutes the Catholics.
484 Gunthamund or Gundamund, cousin of Huneric, succeeds him at his death.
496 Thrasamund becomes king on Gunthamund’s death. The people are rapidly becoming degenerate through effects of climate, luxury, and vice.
523 On death of Thrasamund, Hilderic, son of Huneric, succeeds. He favours Catholicism and restores bishops and churches.
531 The unpopular Hilderic dethroned and imprisoned, his cousin Gelimer placed on the throne.
533 To avenge the wrongs of Hilderic, Justinian sends Belisarius to invade kingdom. Capture of Carthage. Battle of Tricamarum and rout of the Vandals. Flight of Gelimer.
534 Surrender of Gelimer. End of the kingdom. The Vandals carried to Constantinople and sent to serve against the Parthians. A few hundred escape to Africa and take part in an insurrection against Belisarius which he quells with difficulty (536). The Vandals disappear from history.
THE HERULIANS AND OSTROGOTHS IN ITALY (476-555 A.D.)
Attila, king of the Huns, does not succeed in founding a state in the Roman Empire. At his death (453) the kingdom of the Huns falls to pieces. The Gepids recover their liberty; the Slavonic tribes follow suit, and gradually make their way into Eastern Europe, their present home.