GEISERIC Unknown
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TRIBE: Vandals REGION: Mediterranean ROMANS KILLED: GEISERIC Unknown In the years after establishing Carthage as their seat of power, the Vandals took to looting the coasts of the Eastern and Western empires. Their activity in the Mediterranean was so extensive that the sea’s name in Old English was Wendel-sæ (“Sea of the Vandals”). Last Barbarian Standing Geiseric was born around AD Soldiers) of Roman North Africa, gain, shrewd in winning over the 389, the illegitimate child of Boniface, was in fear of his barbarians and skilled in sowing the great Vandal king position due to intrigues at the seeds of dissent to his own Godigisel. When Geiseric was Rome. As a result, he agreed advantage. elected King in AD 428, the with Geiseric that a number of Vandals had long been a Vandals could settle in Africa, Arriving in Libya, he found that wandering people. Driven by and work as mercenaries to Boniface no longer required his the advance of the Huns, the support his position. In a services and was demanding Vandals crossed the northern massive operation, Geiseric that the Vandals return to Spain. Rhine frontier of the Empire in moved the entire Vandal But Geiseric could see the great AD 406 and found their way to people – more than 20,000 opportunity presented by the Spain. There they settled, but warriors along with 60,000 non- fertile lands of North Africa. He as Geiseric’s rule began, they combatant families – across the refused to leave and the came under attack by the Straits of Gibraltar. Vandals defeated the Roman Visigoths and soon migrated force sent by Boniface to evict Geiseric seems to have been a to North Africa. man of deep thought and few The Vandals were described by the 6th century Byzantine At the time, the Roman words, disdainful of luxury, historian Procopius as tall, magister militum (Master of furious in his anger, greedy for blonde-haired and “handsome to look upon.” them. They next conquered resourcefulness, Geiseric set bribe Attila to attack the Roman the coastal territory up to the about transforming his border and prevent the Romans town of Hippo Regius and Vandals into the amassing their army against him. settled down to starve the city Mediterranean’s most In AD 455 Emperor Valentinian is out. Eventually after fourteen formidable pirates. In AD 440, murdered in a palace coup, bitter months, he entered the they captured and sacked and again, Geiseric saw an city and made it the capital of the heart of the opportunity. The Vandals took the new Vandal kingdom in Mediterranean, Sicily, and to their ships and sailed for Italy AD 435. The victory was the although a Roman and marched on Rome. gateway to Geiseric’s true counterattack in 441 Maximus fled in terror, but was prize: Carthage, a vital supply reclaimed the island, the caught by an angry Roman line for the Romans, who had Vandals continued to raid mob and stoned to death for his ruled it for nearly 600 years. For freely around southern Europe cowardice. four years, Geiseric meekly while Rome struggled to deal cooperated with the Romans, with Attila. The sack of Rome in AD 455 then suddenly in AD 339, while marked the terminal decline of In the 450s the Vandals the Western Roman forces the Roman Empire in the West. enjoyed a prosperous peace were occupied with the Goths It was not as violent as legend with the Empire. Geiseric was and Franks, he made his move, has it. The Vandals plundered, pressing the reluctant seizing Carthage in a surprise but left a great deal of the city’s emperor to hand over his attack. buildings intact. daughter Eudocia for the planned marriage to his son. By the time Geiseric died in AD In this brilliant coup, Geiseric He could also see how the 477, and after nearly fifty years acquired not only Carthage, mounting threat to the Empire on the throne, he had taken a but the Roman ships moored in posed by the Huns could work small, largely insignificant its port. Again showing his to his advantage. He started Germanic tribe and made it a sending gifts of money to major Mediterranean power. About the Actor Richard Brake The Bastard Executioner (FX), Game of Thrones (HBO), Spy (Theatrical), Kingsman: The Secret Service (Theatrical) .