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| Engelmut (?)1 (F) b. c 0850, d. c Dec 0919 | ||
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Birth* | c 0850 | 1 |
| Death* | c Dec 0919 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Ratbold I, Count of Carinthia (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | c 0870 | Rabold II, Vogt of Freissing (?)+1 |
| ||
Ernst II, Margrave of Nordmark (?)1 (M) b. c 0825, d. c 0889 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0795 | Ernst I, Margrave of Nordmark (?)1 |
| Mother-Bio* | c 0795 | Fredeburg of Frommen (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | c 0825 | 1 |
| Death* | c 0889 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Adelheid (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | c 0855 | Ernst III, Count in the Sualafeld (?)+1 |
| ||
Adelheid (?)1 (F) b. c 0825 | ||
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Birth* | c 0825 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Ernst II, Margrave of Nordmark (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | c 0855 | Ernst III, Count in the Sualafeld (?)+1 |
| ||
Ernst I, Margrave of Nordmark (?)1 (M) b. c 0795, d. c 0865 | ||
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Birth* | c 0795 | 1 |
| Death* | c 0865 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Fredeburg of Frommen (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | c 0825 | Ernst II, Margrave of Nordmark (?)+1 |
| ||
Fredeburg of Frommen (?)1 (F) b. c 0795 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0765 | Louis of Frommen (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Birth* | c 0795 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Ernst I, Margrave of Nordmark (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | c 0825 | Ernst II, Margrave of Nordmark (?)+1 |
| ||
Louis of Frommen (?)1 (M) b. c 0765 | ||
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | c 0765 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | ||
| Dau-Bio* | c 0795 | Fredeburg of Frommen (?)+1 |
| ||
Rabold, Count in Ambergau (?)1 (M) b. c 0805 | ||
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | c 0805 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| ||
Sieghard, Count in the Kraichgau (?)1 (M) b. c 0800, d. a 0861 | ||
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Birth* | c 0800 | 1 |
| Death* | a 0861 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | ||
| Son-Bio* | c 0825 | Seighard von SEMPT+1 |
| ||
Marinus, Dragonaire in Paphlagonia (?)1 (M) b. 0780, d. bt 0815 - 0830 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | 0740 | Artavazd Mamikonian1 |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Note* | Toumarque and dragonaire in Paphlagonia.1 | |
| Birth* | 0780 | 2,1 |
| Death* | bt 0815 - 0830 | 2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Theoktista Phlorina , Noble of Paphlagonia | |
| Dau-Bio* | c 0815 | Theodora, the Mamikonid, Saint (?)+1 |
Frotho, King of Sjaelland (?)1 (M) b. c 0805, d. 0885 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | Canute (?) King of Denmark1 | |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | c 0805 | 1 |
| Death* | 0885 | 2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | ||
| Son-Bio* | c 0830 | Harold II, King of Sjaelland (?)+1 |
Harold II, King of Sjaelland (?)1 (M) b. c 0830, d. 0899 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0805 | Frotho, King of Sjaelland (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | c 0830 | 1 |
| Death* | 0899 | 2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Bertrade, Princess of Norway (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | c 0866 | Gorm 'der Alte,' King of Denmark (?)+1 |
Hilderic, King of the Vandals (?)1 (M) b. c 0480, d. Sep 0533 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0448 | Hunneric, King of the Vandals (?)1 |
| Mother-Bio* | c 0450 | Eudocia (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Note* | On the death of Hunnerich (484) he was succeeded by his cousinGunthamund, Gaiseric having established seniority among his owndescendants as the law of succession to his throne. Gunthamund (484-96)and his brother Thrasamund (496-523)...maintained the external credit ofthe monarchy. On the death of Thrasamund, Hilderic (523-31), the son ofHunneric and Eudocia, at length succeeded to the throne. He adhered tothe creed of his mother rather than to that of his father; and, in spiteof a solemn oath sworn to his predecessor that he would not restore theCatholic churches to their owners, he at once proceeded to do so and torecall the bishops. Hilderic, elderly, Catholic and timid, was veryunpopular with his subjects, and after a reign of eight years he wasthrust into prison by his cousin Gelimer (531-534). The wrongs toHilderic, a Catholic, with the blood of the emperor Theodosius in hisveins, afforded to Justinian a long-coveted pretext for overthrowing theVandal dominion. A great expedition under the command of Belisariusreached Africa in the beginning of Sept. 533 ... He marched rapidlytowards Carthage and on Sept. 13 defeated Gelimer at Ad Decimum.Belisarius, however, was too late to save the life of Hilderic, who hadbeen slain by his rival's orders as soon as the news came of the landingof the imperial army. [Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1961 ed., Vol. 22, p.973, VANDALS.]1 | |
| Birth* | c 0480 | 1 |
| Death* | Sep 0533 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| ||
Hunneric, King of the Vandals (?)1 (M) b. c 0448, d. 0484 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0420 | Genseric, King of the Vandals (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | c 0448 | 1 |
| Death* | 0484 | 2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Eudocia (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | c 0480 | Hilderic, King of the Vandals (?)+1 |
Eudocia (?)1 (F) b. c 0450 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | 02 Jul 0419 | Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor (?)1 |
| Mother-Bio* | 0422 | Licinia Eudoxia (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Birth* | c 0450 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Hunneric, King of the Vandals (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | c 0480 | Hilderic, King of the Vandals (?)+1 |
| ||
Amfleda the Younger (?)1 (F) b. c 0500 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0470 | Thrasmund, King of the Vandals (?)1 |
| Mother-Bio* | c 0475 | Amalafreda of the Ostrogoths (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Birth* | c 0500 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| ||
Thrasmund, King of the Vandals (?)1 (M) b. c 0470, d. 0523 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0445 | Genzo of the Vandals (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | c 0470 | 1 |
| Death* | 0523 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Amalafreda of the Ostrogoths (?) | |
| Dau-Bio* | c 0500 | Amfleda the Younger (?)+1 |
| ||
Genzo of the Vandals (?)1 (M) b. c 0445 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0420 | Genseric, King of the Vandals (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | c 0445 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | ||
| Son-Bio* | c 0470 | Thrasmund, King of the Vandals (?)+1 |
| ||
Amalafreda of the Ostrogoths (?)1 (F) b. c 0475, d. bt 0523 - 0525 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0430 | Theudemir, King of the Ostrogoths (?)1 |
| Mother-Bio* | c 0432 | Ereliva (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Birth* | c 0475 | 1 |
| Death* | bt 0523 - 0525 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Thrasmund, King of the Vandals (?) | |
| Dau-Bio* | c 0500 | Amfleda the Younger (?)+1 |
| ||
Theudemir, King of the Ostrogoths (?)1 (M) b. c 0430, d. 0474 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0410 | Vandalarius, Conqueror of the Vandals (?)1 |
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Name-Var | Theodemir, King of the Ostrogoths (?)1 | |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | c 0430 | 1 |
| Death* | 0474 | 2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Ereliva (?) | |
| Dau-Bio* | c 0475 | Amalafreda of the Ostrogoths (?)+1 |
Vandalarius, Conqueror of the Vandals (?)1 (M) b. c 0410, d. c 0459 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0400 | Vinitharius, Conqueror of the Vendi-Slavs (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | c 0410 | 1 |
| Death* | c 0459 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | ||
| Son-Bio* | c 0430 | Theudemir, King of the Ostrogoths (?)+1 |
| ||
Genseric, King of the Vandals (?)1 (M) b. c 0420, d. 0477 | ||
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Note* | Relationship of Genseric/Gaiseric to Hunnerich based upon article onGaiseric in Encyclopaedia Britannica CD '97.1 | |
| Name-Var | Gaiseric, King of the Vandals (?)1 | |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | c 0420 | 1 |
| Death* | 0477 | 2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | ||
| Son-Bio* | c 0445 | Genzo of the Vandals (?)+1 |
| Son-Bio* | c 0448 | Hunneric, King of the Vandals (?)+1 |
Leontius (?)1 (M) b. bt 0370 - 0380 | ||
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | bt 0370 - 0380 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | ||
| Dau-Bio* | c 0401 | Eudoxia Augusta (?)+1 |
| ||
Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor (?)1 (M) b. 02 Jul 0419, d. bt 16 Mar 0454 - 0455 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | Constantius III, Western Roman Emperor (?)1 | |
| Mother-Bio* | c 0390 | Aelia Galla Placidia1 |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Note* | Valentinian III, Latin in full FLAVIUS PLACIDIUS VALENTINIANUS (b. July2, 419, Ravenna--d. March 16, 455, Rome), Roman emperor from 425 to 455.At no time in his long reign were the affairs of state personally managedby Valentinian. He was the son of the patrician Flavius Constantius (whoruled as Constantius III in 421) and Galla Placidia. When his uncle, theemperor Honorius, died in 423, the usurper John ruled for two yearsbefore he was deposed. Then Placidia controlled the West in her youngson's name until 437, although the powerful patrician Aetius became theeffective ruler toward the end of this regency. The most importantpolitical event of these years was the landing of the Vandals in Africain 429; 10 years later they threw off the overlordship of Valentinian'sgovernment. On Oct. 29, 437, Valentinian married Licinia Eudoxia, the daughter ofTheodosius II (Eastern emperor, 408-450) and Eudocia. Little is known ofValentinian in the years after his marriage. He spent his life in thepursuit of pleasure while Aetius controlled the government. In 444Valentinian, acting in conjunction with Pope Leo I the Great, issued thefamous Novel 17, which assigned to the bishop of Rome supremacy over theprovincial churches. The most important political events of the closingyears of his reign were the Hun invasions of Gaul (451) and of northernItaly (452), but it is not known whether Valentinian personally playedany significant part in meeting these crises. As a result of false information that made him doubt Aetius' loyalty,Valentinian murdered the great patrician with his own hands in theimperial palace at Rome on Sept. 21, 454. The following year, twobarbarians, Optila and Thraustila, who had been retainers of Aetius,avenged their master by murdering the Emperor in the Campus Martius.[Encyclopaedia Britannica CD '97, VALENTINIAN III] ---------- Valentinian III was really not a very remarkable emperor. The enigmaticGalla Placidia, a woman about whom much legend and folklore had appearedover the years, was Valentinian III's mother and ruled as his regentduring his youth. She also maintained tight control over him after hebecame of age to ascend the throne to rule in his own right. It is onlybecause Placidia and several other legendary people lived in the WesternRoman Empire during the reign of Valentinian III that we know much moreabout him at all. Valentinian III was born in 419 and was made Roman Emperor of the West in425. He was neither a strong ruler nor a fine general, but the twoimportant people in his life took were well provided with these talents,so needed during this period of crisis when the Roman Empire wasstruggling for its very life against barbarian warlords who would breakit into separate pieces to be ruled as petty kingdoms. His mother fulfilled the role of strong ruler, and Flavius Aetius,Valentinian's Master General was the strong military leader who wouldrescue the empire from the brink of destruction time after time. With aweak emperor and two strong individuals in key positions of power, therewas bound to be trouble. Aetius had become so powerful that GallaPlacidia became jealous. She appointed Boniface, Count of Africa toarrest Aetius but when their forces clashed, Boniface received woundsfrom which he would later die. Placidia now realized that she could notdo away with the powerful general so she decided to cooperate with him.As time went on, Aetius became the strong arm and protector of both GallaPlacidia and Valentinian. Ironically, it was the struggle betweenBoniface and Aetius that brought about the loss of Africa, one of Rome'srichest provinces and for centuries the source of grain for most of theempire. Because of rumors started at court by those who wished to do awaywith both Aetius and Boniface because they were both very powerful men,Boniface had been alternately considered a loyal supporter of and mortalenemy of Galla Placidia. The count never really knew where he stood atcourt, and consequently made a deal with Gaiseric, the new King of theVandals. Gaiseric had become king in 428, and was a brilliant general anda ruthless and crafty conqueror. After the battle which resulted in thedeath of Boniface, Gaiseric helped himself to Africa and there wasnothing any Roman emperor, Eastern or Western, strong or weak, could doabout the Vandal occupation until Belisarius kicked them out one hundredyears later. Because those in power feared and distrusted each other,Rome’s strategic grain reserves in Africa were lost to the Western empireforever. With Africa went the sole remaining source of the empire’seconomic strength, and it may be said that when the Vandals invadedAfrica in 429 the Western Roman Empire was reduced from a world classpower to a small struggling kingdom in Italy and Gaul. Valentinian lived a life of luxury and turned out to be lazy and a womanchaser. Though his wife Licinia Eudoxia was one of the most beautifulwomen at his court, Valentinian routinely seduced other men's wives.While Valentinian III frittered away his time in luxury and his talentson his own pleasures, the Roman Empire he should have been activelyprotecting was being dismembered chunk by chunk. At the beginning of hisreign, the West was almost totally intact except for the kingdom ofToulouse that had been set up by Visigoths in France By the end of hisreign, barely Italy remained and a small portion of Gaul remained out ofthe vast Western empire Valentinian lived a life of luxury and turned out to be lazy and a womanchaser. Though his wife Licinia Eudoxia was one of the most beautifulwomen at his court, Valentinian routinely seduced other men’s wives.While Valentinian III frittered away his time in luxury and his talentson his own pleasures, the Roman Empire he should have been activelyprotecting was being dismembered chunk by chunk. At the beginning of hisreign, the West was almost totally intact except for the kingdom ofToulouse that had been set up by Visigoths in France By the end of hisreign, barely Italy remained and a small portion of Gaul remained out ofthe vast Western empire. It is an amazing paradox that four men who were so utterly unfit to do sosat on the throne of the Roman Empire in its time of desperate crisisshould have some of the longest reigns in the history. Another phenomenonof the Fifth Century is that the governing of both halves of the empirefell into the hands of strong women for long periods of time. ValentinianIII, his uncles Honorius and Arcadius, and his cousin Theodosius II didlittle more than occupy space and show up in magnificent robes andjewelry for state occasions and civic holidays. It was left up to thepowerful women in these men’s’ lives to handle the tasks of government.Valentinian III had his mother Galla Placidia to rely upon, Arcadius wasmarried to Eudoxia, a woman of considerable political genius, and thegovernment of Theodosius II was left mainly in the hands of his sisterPulcheria. In A. D. 454, Valentinian did a very stupid thing and murdered hisfaithful general and protector. Aetius was the only person standingbetween Rome and the Vandals, a tribe of barbarians ruled by the powerfulchieftain Gaiseric. Evidently, Valentinian suspected Aetius of wanting todo away with him and to take the throne for himself. If that had beenAetius' goal, he could have accomplished it long before A. D. 454. Theconfrontation between Valentinian III and Aetius evidently took placeright in the throne room of Valentinian's palace. Without warning,Valentinian drew his sword and slew his unsuspecting general. Aetius had been very popular amongst the soldiers. In the spring of 455,one of Aetius’ former retainers, a Hun warrior by the name of Optilaavenged the murder of his commander. Valentinian had come to the CampusMartius to practice archery and Optila struck him with his sword as hewas getting down off his horse. When Valentinian turned to see who hadattacked him, Optila struck again, killing the emperor. ThoughValentinian was surrounded by imperial troops, no one lifted a finger todefend the cowardly emperor who was getting the justice he deserved. A few months later, the vandals were in Rome, not just for a three-daystay but a three week spree of looting, burning and rape. The Vandalsleft nothing of value behind that could not be carried off. The wealthypeople were ruined and even the common people faced starvation. [TheThrone of the Caesars: Valentinian III,http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/empcont/e252.htm]1 | |
| Name-Var | Flavius Placidius Valentinianus, Roman Emperor (?)1 | |
| Birth* | 02 Jul 0419 | Ravenna, Italy2,1 |
| Event-Misc | bt 0425 - 0455 | Roman Emperor, Type: Reigned 1 |
| Marriage* | 29 Oct 0437 | Licinia Eudoxia (?)2,1 |
| Death* | bt 16 Mar 0454 - 0455 | Campus Martius, Rome, Italy2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Licinia Eudoxia (?) | |
| Dau-Bio* | c 0450 | Eudocia (?)+1 |
Licinia Eudoxia (?)1 (F) b. 0422 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | 10 Apr 0401 | Theodosius II, Eastern Roman Emperor (?)1 |
| Mother-Bio* | c 0401 | Eudoxia Augusta (?)1 |
| Note* | Licinia Eudoxia, wife of Valentinian III, Daughter of Theodosius II. Themiddle of the Fifth Century was a time of great crisis for the dwindlingremnant of the Western Roman Empire. What used to be the most powerfulempire on Earth was just a small European state by A. D. 437, whenValentinian married Licinia Eudoxia, a distant relative. The EasternRoman Empire was still a large and powerful one, ruling the lands fromIllyricum (Modern day Serbia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina) to Mesopotamia andEgypt. The Western Empire claimed only Italy and a small part of Gaul(Modern France) by this time. Licinia Eudoxia was the great granddaughter of Theodosius I, the lastemperor to rule over both eastern and western halves of the Roman Empire.Valentinian was the grandson of Theodosius I. Marriage between distantrelatives of the imperial family had by this time become commonplace. After Valentinian III was murdered in 455, Petronius Maximus was elevatedto the imperial throne. It was widely believed that he had had somethingto do with Valentinian's murder, but he was a very wealthy and powerfulsenator. He forced Valentinian's widow to marry him, and her daughter tomarry his son. It is believed that she appealed to Gaiseric, the Vandalruler of Africa for help. At any rate, that is the excuse Gaisericoffered for the foul deed he now set out to do. Gaiseric turned his eyes toward the great wealth that remained in thecity of Rome. Lacking an adequate army to protect herself, the EternalCity was a tempting target for a raiding warlord or pirate with onlymodest means. Gambling that Theodosius II in the East had had not thewill nor the ability to defend the Western lands, Gaiseric launched hisnavy led largely by pirate captains and attacked Rome. The citizens ofthe city panicked when news reached them of the impending invasion. Thepeople and their emperor Petronius Maximus fled. The cowardly emperor waskilled by his own frightened and dismayed subjects while attempting toescape the doomed city. Gaiseric found little organized resistance andeasily entered the city. He plundered the helpless city and its remaininginhabitants for two weeks, his often drunken troops burning, raping andpillaging at will. Three of the most valuable prizes captured from the devastated city wereLicinia Eudoxia and her two daughters. The eldest daughter, Eudocia (notthe empress of the same name), was forced to marry Gaiseric's sonHuneric. The three imperial ladies remained captives in Gaiseric'shousehold until the Eastern emperor Leo was able to get Gaiseric to givethe ladies up to him sometime in the 460's. Licinia Eudoxia made her home in the Eastern capital of Constantinopleafter her release and the events of the rest of her life are lost tohistory. It is believed that she died sometime in 493. [Women in theRoman World: Licinia Eudoxia,http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/ladycont/art30.htm]1 | |
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Birth* | 0422 | 1 |
| Marriage* | 29 Oct 0437 | Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor (?)2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor (?) | |
| Dau-Bio* | c 0450 | Eudocia (?)+1 |
Constantius III, Western Roman Emperor (?)1 (M) d. 02 Sep 0421 | ||
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Note* | Constantius was a very competent Roman general who first makes hisappearance in history during the early Fifth Century. Like many of theRoman empire's most illustrious military men, he had been born inIllyria. It is most likely that he had attained the rank of Master ofSoldiers and Cavalry in the service of the Roman emperor Honorius by theyear A. D. 411. He swiftly ended the rebellion and usurpation ofConstantine III by trapping him in the city of Arelate. Constantine IIIheld out for three months, then surrendered the city after the besiegerspromised to spare his life. Honorius refused to honor the promise ofclemency and had the ex emperor and his son executed thirty miles outsidethe city of Ravenna where Honorius maintained his residence. During these troubled times, The weak Roman government in the West had todeal with a seemingly endless succession of rebels, illegitimateemperors, and barbarian invaders. Alaric and his Visigothic army hadforced his way into Rome in 410, spending three days looting andpillaging the city. He left with his army and an enormous amount oftreasure and headed South, raiding farms and villas throughout thecentral Italian countryside for supplies to feed his army. Alaric plannedto take his army and his stolen booty and sail to Africa but his shipswere destroyed by storms. Alaric suddenly died before he could make anyfurther plans and his brother Athaulf became King of the Visigoths. The Visigoths had taken the Honorius’ half-sister Galla Placidia captivewhen they left Rome. Constantius was deeply in love with her, and broughtpressure on the Visigoths to release her. Instead, Athaulf married her.She was finally returned to the Romans in 416 and reluctantly agreed tomarry Constantius on January I, A. D. 417. Since Honorius was either unable or unwilling to have children,Constantius and Placidia were the most likely to produce a royal heir.Placidia had two children by Constantius, Valentinian and Justa GrataHonoria. Constantius was proclaimed augustus on February 8, 421 andbecame the Roman emperor Constantius III. He did not live to enjoy a longreign, though. Constantius III died of pleurisy seven months later on thesecond of September. If Constantius III had lived longer, many historians believe that thehistory of the Roman Empire in the West would have been much different.He was an excellent general and had shown that he could effectively keepthe barbarians at bay. He was also a talented administrator. This was theprecise combination of qualities the empire needed in these times ofcrisis, and he may have been able to forestall the collapse of the Westfor another 50 years if he had lived another ten years or so. Honoriusdied two years later also and the government of the West without anysolid leadership. The family that Constantius left behind earned itself a place in folkloreand legend. After a brief period during which the usurper Johannesreigned in the West, the government passed into the hands of GallaPlacidia and her four year old son, Emperor Valentinian III. GallaPlacidia acted as regent for the weak Valentinian for over twenty yearsduring which she managed to play one powerful general off against anotherwhile still making use of their services in keeping the barbarians atbay. Valentinian III was most well known for being a Roman Emperor whoenjoyed a reign of thirty years without ever really doing anythingsignificant. Luckily, his strong mother and the gifted general FlaviusAetius dealt with the multitude of crises faced by the Western RomanEmpire during these critical years. There is a curious legend concerning Justa Grata Honoria, Daughter ofConstantius and Placidia and sister of Valentinian III. People have beenhaving secret love affairs ever since the dawn of history but when amember of the royal family has an illicit relationship, it can bepolitically dangerous. It seems that Honoria was feeling lonely andneglected and decided to remedy that situation by taking up with themanager of the royal estates. Whether the couple really intended todepose Valentinian and seize power was never really established but herbrother believed they were conspiring against him. The lover was executedand Honoria had her titles taken away and was married to an old butperfectly safe senator. Of course, she resented this turn of events andwrote a secret letter to Attila, the Hun warlord who was currentlyravaging the countryside around Constantinople. Attila acted on thisflimsy excuse and demanded half the Western Empire as dowry! Valentinianwanted to execute his rebellious sister but his aged though stillpowerful mother forbade the act of revenge. [The Throne of the Caesars:Constantius III, http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/empcont/e246.htm] ---------- Constantius III (b. Dalmatia [now in Croatia]--d. Sept. 2, 421, Ravenna[Italy]), Roman emperor in 421. Constantius came from Naissus (modernNis, Yugoslavia) in the province of Moesia. In 411, as magister militum('master of the soldiers') under the western Roman emperor FlaviusHonorius (reigned 393-423), Constantius helped to overthrow the usurpingemperor Constantine (Flavius Claudius Constantinus) at Arelate (modernArles, Fr.). He drove the Visigoths from southern Gaul into Spain in 415but later recalled the tribe and settled it in southwestern Gaul. In 417he married the emperor's half sister Galla Placidia. Appointed coemperorof the West by Honorius, with the title augustus, on Feb. 8, 421,Constantius died without having been recognized by the eastern emperor,Theodosius II. Constantius' son by Placidia ruled the West as theemperor Valentinian III from 425 to 455. [Encyclopaedia Britannica CD'97, CONSTANTIUS III]1 | |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | Naissus, Moesia, Dalmatia [now in Croatia]2,1 | |
| Marriage* | 0417 | Aelia Galla Placidia2,1 |
| Death* | 02 Sep 0421 | Ravenna [Italy]2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Aelia Galla Placidia | |
| Son-Bio* | 02 Jul 0419 | Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor (?)+1 |
Aelia Galla Placidia1 (F) b. c 0390, d. 27 Nov 0450 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | bt 11 Jan 0346 - 0347 | Theodosius I 'The Great,' Roman Emperor (?)1 |
| Mother-Bio* | c 0360 | Galla (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Note* | Galla Placidia, A Storybook Princess Daughter of an emperor, wife of a king and an emperor, and mother of anemperor Galla Placidia was the daughter of an emperor, half sister of twoemperors, the wife of another emperor and the mother of yet anotheremperor. She was married first to a king of the Visigoths who carried heraway as a captive, just another item of stolen plunder from the sack ofRome. She fell deeply in love with her barbarian king and onlycondescended to marry her second husband, a Roman emperor whom she merelytolerated after her one and only true love had died. She ruled as aregent, as a queen mother in fact if not in name and held the reins ofempire in her strong hand, fulfilling the responsibilities of her thronebetter than any man alive at the time. She had the body of her infant sonbrought back home from far-off barbarian Spain in a little silver casketto be buried next to her in her mausoleum. Galla Placidia even betrayedher own flesh and blood, joining in and encouraging the clamor of thecitizens of Rome for the death of Serena, widow of the loyal and faithfulRoman master general Stilicho. This kind and gentle woman was her auntwho had opened her home to the young princess while she was yet a veryyoung girl, raising her as one of her own children. In her later years,Galla Placidia was held in high esteem and affection by the people of theItalian city of Ravenna. The Roman Empire was in a state of sad declineby then and Placidia had used her great wealth to build many churches inRavenna and perform many charitable works to benefit the poor. Placidia was born in the year A. D. 388, the only daughter of EmperorTheodosius I and the Empress Galla. Her mother died when she was a younggirl and she was sent to the court of the emperor Honorius in the West tobe raised after the death of Theodosius in 395. It was there that she wastaken in and raised by Serena, the woman whose murder Placidia would soheartily encourage fifteen years later. Placidia was in Rome at the time of its sack by Alaric and the Visigoths.She was carried off as part of the plunder but later married Alaric’sbrother Athaulf in 414 after Alaric had died and Athaulf had become Kingof the Visigothic nation. The Roman princess and the barbarian king soonhad a family. Galla Placidia gave birth to baby boy whom she namedTheodosius after her father. The infant died after a few weeks and wasburied in Barcelona, Spain where Athaulf had settled his people aftermuch wandering about Europe. After Athaulf was murdered in 416, GallaPlacidia was treated shamefully by Singeric, the new Visigothic king.Instead of treating the widow of his predecessor with tenderness andcompassion, Singeric forced her to walk twelve miles on foot ahead of hishorse in the company of common prisoners. Placidia did not have long towait for justice, though. Singeric was not well liked by the Visigothicwarrior elite and was murdered after a reign of only seven days byWallia, a Visigothic warrior who won popularity by announcing hisintention of making war on the Roman Empire. Wallia ended up sellingPlacidia back to her brother Honorius for 600,000 measures of grain.Placidia returned home in 416 to marry Constantius, a general ofHonorius’a short time later. Constantius was made co-augustus in the Westin A. D. 421 and became the Roman emperor Constantius III. He died ofpleurisy after a reign of only seven months. From this marriage, GallaPlacidia had two children, Valentinian, who later became EmperorValentinian III and Justa Grata Honoria, who is only remembered inhistory from a few coins bearing her portrait and a strange tale offorbidden love and treachery. Honorius and Placidia soon quarreled and Placidia fled to Constantinople.The story is told that Honorius was very fond of his sister, oftenkissing her on the mouth in public. Tongues began wagging at court,telling tales of incest but in fact Honorius was probably only displayingimmature and inappropriate brotherly affection. Soon, the affectionturned into hatred as the result of stories told by two palace servants.The supporters of Placidia and those of Honorius even took the quarrel tothe streets of Ravenna where they did battle with each other over thehonor of their patrons. At this point, Galla Placidia decided that thewise course of action would be to flee to Constantinople and seek asylumat the court of Theodosius II. In 423, Honorius died and Galla Placidia was made Augusta, or empress inthe West. She was to rule in the name of her six - year old sonValentinian III.. Placidia soon proved to be a hard-nosed ruler who knewhow to manage a declining economy and rebellious subjects. After thedeath of Honorius, Johannes, who had been Honorius’imperial secretary leda rebellion in Northern Italy. Johannes was soon captured and Placidiahad him mounted backwards on a mule and paraded in front of the citizensof the city of Ravenna, where the Western capital had been establishedsince A. D. 402. Johannes had his hand cut off before being led into thearena and executed before the six - year old emperor and the people ofthe city. Later, Galla Placidia became the most powerful figures in the governmentof the West. She clashed with Aetius, the military genius who defendedthe West from barbarian invasions throughout the first half of the FifthCentury. She even went so far as to have Count Boniface of Africaelevated to the post of Master General and then sent him out after Aetiusto arrest him. Aetius was not captured or killed and spent many yearsfighting for Galla Placidia’s cause once she decided to put her trust inhim. The art of holding onto political power has always been a very delicateone, mastered only by by those few individuals who possessed theparticular kind of genius that allows them to see connections that arehidden from most normal minds and to assess the importance or potentialthreat of people and situations. Galla Placidia had such a mind and ranthe Roman government in the West for twenty years during one of the mostperilous periods of its existence. She was able to make the most ofAetius’ military abilities and yet keep him from seizing the throne. Itis unlikely that any man during this period could have done any betterthan she did, and it is certain that the two men who were on the thronein the East and the West could hot have remained on the throne if theyhadn’t each had the help of an exceptional woman. Pulcheria, sister ofTheodosius II in the East played much the same role there that GallaPlacidia played in the West. The role of women was beginning to change,though. Throughout the period of the Roman Empire, women of senatorialrank were expected to learn the skills of administering large estates andwere often responsible for governing hundreds of slaves and dealing withsupply merchants, contractors, and government officials. They were thusoften ready to step into the role of governing the empire for a weakhusband or son who was the nominal emperor. The mid Fifth Century saw thebeginnings of medieval society in Europe,. a period during which womenlost much of their status in society and became almost as property.Historians of a later age often showed their strong disapproval of womenin positions of power. In the East, a trend of just the opposite nature was unfolding. Thepalace at Constantinople was to see strong women of the imperial familytaking the reins of power in their hands starting with the EmpressEudoxia and continuing throughout the Fifth and first half of the SixthCentury. Empresses Ariadne and Theodora held enormous power in thegovernment of the early Byzantine Empire and Pulcheria was the capableregent for her brother Theodosius II during his minority. Indeed, theprecedent set by Julia Domna and Julia Maesa, the powerful women of theSeveran period who kept court at the Syrian city of Antioch seems to havebeen a feature of the Eastern empire through the reign of Irene in theEleventh Century. The later years of Galla Placidia’s life were uneventful, or at least didnot capture the attention of an ancient chronicler and thus get writtendown. She mellowed somewhat in her old age and spent her fortune puttingup public buildings and performing charitable works. She died in the yearA. D. 450, fondly loved and missed by the citizens of Ravenna where shehad spent the later years of her life. [Women in the Roman World: GallaPlacidia, http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/ladycont/art28.htm] ---------- A visit to the mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna is quite enough initself to inspire one with a desire to know more of this remarkablewoman. Daughter to Theodosius the Great, and half-sister to Honorius,the Emperor under whom Britain was finally lost to Rome, she lived to seethe great empire of the known world become the battleground of maraudingbarbarians, and the court that had ruled that empire shelteringdisconsolately in the last territory it could call its own---Ravenna, anisland of security surrounded by a waste of marshland and the sea. She first storms onto the stage of history in 408 when Alaric the Gothwas laying siege to Rome. The Senate consulted her as to the reliabilityof her cousin Serena, widow of Stilicho, the Vandal general who hadserved her father, and she advised that the woman be strangled forconniving with the enemy. Though a very devout Catholic, she lived in aworld of treachery and sudden death, and witnessed many such scenes---andworse, for the most usual form of execution then was clubbing to death. When Alaric sacked Rome, he carried off Placidia as a part of his bootybut afforded her imperial honours. He died soon afterwards, and hisbrother-in-law Ataulf became king. Ataulf carried on for a short timeAlaric's policy of attempting to convert the Roman Empire into a Gothicone, but rapidly became convinced of the superiority of a Romanstructure. In 412 he offered to join with Honorius and to give upPlacidia in return for supplies, but neither cooperation nor suppliescame, and in 414 he married Placidia. This was be no means a forcedmarriage, and the description we have of the ceremony shows aninteresting union of Roman and barbaric ideas: they dressed in the Romanmanner, and the proper wedding hymns were sung, but the bridegroom's giftto the bride was fifty handsome youths dressed in silk, each carrying twoplatters, the one piled high with gold, the other with preciousstones---the booty from the sack of Rome. Ataulf declared 'I hope to behanded down to posterity as the initiator of a Roman restoration.'(Olympiodorus fragment 24, and Orosius, vii, 42.) We cannot tell what might have resulted from such a cooperation, but itwas foiled by Honorius, who was deeply shocked by his sister's marriagewith a barbarian and also was strongly influenced by the advice of hisleading general, Constantius, who longed to marry Placidia himself. In 415 Placidia bore Ataulf a son, and called him Theodosius, after herfather. But the child died, and almost as soon as they had buried theirhope for the future in his silver coffin in Barcelona, Ataulf wasmurdered. His immediate successor treated her as a common prisoner,driving her before his horse on foot for twelve miles. Luckily for herthis man only lasted a week, and his successor handed her over toConstantius in return for 600,000 measures of corn, as her husband hadinstructed on his death-bed. In 417 she was married, much against her will, to Constantius. She soonsettled down, bearing him a son and a daughter, and exercising herpowerful influence on Honorius to raise her husband's status. Honoriuswas not keen on human beings---he loved poultry best of all but hissister he adored, and scandal ensued from their constant kissing. In 421Placidia was elevated to the rank of Augusta, and her husband as Augsutusbecame joint ruler of the Western Empire with Honorius. Shortly afterwards Constantius died, and tensions began to arise betweenthe brother and sister. Still she hankered after an arrangement with theGoths, and a 'barbarian' party built up round her to oppose the 'Roman'party of Honorius. Difficulties came to a head as to who should succeedto the post once held by Constantius of magister militum, Generalissimoof the Roman troops. Placidia favoured Boniface, a fine man with a greatmilitary skill, but Honorius appointed another. Boniface fled to Africato build up an independent position for himself there, where he got toknow Augustine very well, and Placidia and her children were exiled toConstantinople where her nephew Theodosius II ruled. In 423 Honorius died, and an obscure civil servant called John was pushedin as Emperor of the West. The proper heir was Placidia's sonValentinian III, who was only four years old and Theodosius decided toback his claim with troops. In 425 the child was clothed with theimperial robes in Ravenna. This was a great triumph for Placidia, butshe had to contend for power with one of the most able men this centuryproduced---Aëtius, a Roman general who led a Hunnish army, 60,000strong. In 432 Placidia recalled Boniface from Africa to help oustAëtius; he beat him, but shortly afterwards died, and Aëtius romped backto supreme power the next year, a control he exercised withoutinterruption or challenge until his murder in 454. These last years must have been sad ones for Placidia, who was not awoman to submit easily to such control, and had been more used to thebustle and plotting of power. However, the year of her death, 450, wasto prove an exciting one for her, and one which showed that her daughterhad much the same spirit. Honoria had fallen in love with her butler whohad been put to death for his imprudence, whilst she was deprived of herroyal rank, and a steady marriage was arranged for her. So she sent toAttila begging him to come and avenge her, and sending him a ring,promising her hand. Attila immediately made ready to invade Rome andfetch her, and everyone advised Valentinian to give his sister to the Hunin order to buy him off; but, at the insistent prayers of his mother, herefused. Two years later Attila was still demanding his royal bride, butthis time there was no jointure between noble Roman and barbarian king.[Source: Who's Who in the Middle Ages, John Fines, Barnes & Noble Books,New York, 1995]1 | |
| Birth* | c 0390 | 2,1 |
| Marriage* | 0417 | Constantius III, Western Roman Emperor (?)3,1 |
| Death* | 27 Nov 0450 | 2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Constantius III, Western Roman Emperor (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | 02 Jul 0419 | Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor (?)+1 |
Theodosius II, Eastern Roman Emperor (?)1 (M) b. 10 Apr 0401, d. 28 Jul 0450 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0377 | Arcadius, Eastern Roman Emperor (?)1 |
| Mother-Bio* | bt 0370 - 0380 | Aelia Eudoxia (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Note* | Several important events occurred during the reign of Theodosius II butnone of them came to pass because Theodosius himself was a particularlycompetent ruler. During his long reign of forty-eight years, the Churchmade its influence felt in imperial politics to an even greater extentthan before. Bishops at Alexandria, Antioch, and Constantinoplecontinuously competed for power and prestige. It was during the reign ofTheodosius II that the Alexandrian scientist and mathematician Hypatiawas murdered by a violent sect of lay brethren with the tacit approval ofCyril, Bishop of Alexandria. The East was also blessed with the advantageof having several talented individuals in high government administrativeposts during the reign of Theodosius II. Constantinople's triple defensewall was built to protect the city from attack from the landward side.All the Roman laws from the time of Constantine I up until about mid waythrough the reign of Theodosius II (428 - 435) were reviewed andpublished in one manuscript, called the Codex Theodosianus. A universitywas founded at Constantinople to teach philosophy, law, and theology froma Christian perspective. This would be the third university in existenceat that time, joining two that had been established several centuriesearlier at Athens and Alexandria. Theodosius II was the son of the Eastern Roman emperor Arcadius. He wasproclaimed augustus in A. D. 402 but began to rule in his own right afterthe death of Arcadius in 408. Though only seven years old, he was in goodhands. His sister, Pulcheria acted as regent for him and he had acompetent praetorian prefect in Anthemius. It was Anthemius who made thecity of Constantinople almost totally impervious to attack byconstructing its famous triple wall on the landward side. The city neverfell to an assault against its walls or an attack by an enemy fleet untilthe Ottoman Turks breached the walls in 1453. Anthemius also restoredfriendly relations between the Eastern and Western halves of the RomanEmpire after the death of Flavius Stilicho in 408. During the reign of Theodosius II, the Eastern Roman Empire experienced aperiod of peace and prosperity even as the West was fighting for its veryexistence against barbarian chieftains who wanted to carve it up into apatchwork of small Teutonic kingdoms. During most of this reign,Constantinople had the military strength to defend its borders. There wassome trouble with Persia early on, but a treaty was signed in the firstdecade of the century between Constantinople and the Sassanid PersianEmpire. During the last decade of Theodosius II's reign, the government becamelazy and decided it was easier to pay off the Huns rather than chase themdown and punish them every time they made an incursion into Roman soil.By 450, the treasury was becoming dangerously depleted. Theodosius II fell from his horse while out riding one day in A. D. 450.The fall broke his back and the emperor later died from his injuries.Before he died, Theodosius II named Marcian, a former aide de camp to thepowerful general Aspar. Theodosius II was the last surviving emperor ofthe family of his grandfather Theodosius I to reign in the East. [TheThrone of the Caesars: Theodosius II,http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/empcont/e251.htm]1 | |
| Birth* | 10 Apr 0401 | Constantinople [now Istanbul, Turkey]2,1 |
| Event-Misc | bt 0408 - 0450 | Roman Emperor [East], Type: Reigned 1 |
| Marriage* | Jun 0421 | Eudoxia Augusta (?)3,1 |
| Death* | 28 Jul 0450 | 2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Eudoxia Augusta (?) | |
| Dau-Bio* | 0422 | Licinia Eudoxia (?)+1 |
Eudoxia Augusta (?)1 (F) b. c 0401, d. 20 Oct 0460 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | bt 0370 - 0380 | Leontius (?)1 |
| Note* | Eudocia, original name ATHENAIS (d. Oct. 20, 460, Jerusalem), wife of theEastern Roman emperor Theodosius II. She was a highly cultured woman whoexercised great influence over her husband until her withdrawal fromConstantinople. Athenais, as she was then called, came from Athens, where her father,Leontius, was a pagan philosopher. Before she and Theodosius weremarried (in June 421), Athenais was baptized a Christian and changed hername to Eudocia. A year later she gave birth to a daughter, LiciniaEudoxia, who married (437) the Western emperor Valentinian III (reigned425-455). In 438 Eudocia went on a year's pilgrimage to Jerusalem.After a quarrel with Theodosius' influential sister Pulcheria, shereturned to Jerusalem in 443 and remained there for the rest of her life,directing the rebuilding of that city's fortifications and theconstruction of several splendid churches. Eudocia was sympathetic to Monophysitism--a heresy that maintained thatChrist's human nature is absorbed in his divine nature--but she died anorthodox Christian. In addition to religious poetry, she wrote apanegyric on the Roman victory over the Persians (422). [EncyclopaediaBritannica CD '97, EUDOCIA]1 | |
| Name-Var | Athenaïs (?)1 | |
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Birth* | c 0401 | Athens, Greece2,1 |
| Marriage* | Jun 0421 | Theodosius II, Eastern Roman Emperor (?)3,1 |
| Death* | 20 Oct 0460 | Jerusalem4,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Theodosius II, Eastern Roman Emperor (?) | |
| Dau-Bio* | 0422 | Licinia Eudoxia (?)+1 |
Arcadius, Eastern Roman Emperor (?)1 (M) b. c 0377, d. 0408 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | bt 11 Jan 0346 - 0347 | Theodosius I 'The Great,' Roman Emperor (?)1 |
| Mother-Bio* | c 0350 | Aelia Flaccilla (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Note* | The Roman Empire was permanently divided into East and West in the year395 A.D. when Arcadius was made emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire uponthe death of his father, Theodosius I. Theodosius' other son, Honoriuswas given the Western Roman Empire to rule. There had been both aneastern and a western emperor since the time of Diocletian, but theempire had always been ruled as if it had been one empire with twohalves. After 395, each half took on the character of a separate empire,with the western empire retaining the Latin language and European cultureand traditions while the inhabitants of the eastern empire spoke Greekand adopted a culture combining Greek, Middle Eastern, and North Africanelements. Even the organization of the Christian Church took on adifferent character as you went from west to east in the late ancientworld. Arcadius was a rather weak emperor who was easily controlled by his highgovernment officials. After Arcadius' Praetorian Prefect Rufinus wasmurdered by the order of Flavius Stilicho, Master General of the west,Eutropius, a palace eunuch who had been Arcadius' chamberlain gainedpower. Most authors of the time agree that Eutropius was thoroughlycrooked, selling high offices and provincial governors' posts to thehighest bidder and having honest rich men accused of treason just so hecould seize their wealth and estates. This form of tyranny was prevalentduring the reigns of Tiberius and Commodus. A leader of the Ostrogothsnamed Gainas revolted, taking many of his followers on a wild spree ofmurder, robbery, and destruction throughout the east. The Ostrogoths, anomadic warrior people were not used to a life of farming and staying inone place all their lives. It is probable that Eutropius' oppressivesystem of collecting taxes drove the Ostrogoths to revolt. Strongevidence exists that this was the reason for the trouble because Gainasdemanded the head of Eutropius as part of the terms for peace. It wasprobably the fact that Eutropius had somehow angered the Empress Eudoxiathat actually led to his downfall. Strangely enough, he was not convictedof corruption or having people unjustly murdered or oppressing thepeople, but of harnessing the royal mules to his carriage! Gainas was able to force Arcadius to declare him Magister Militum orMaster General and allow him to move his Gothic troops intoConstantinople, where they proceeded to intimidate the populationregularly. Gainas became arrogant at how easily he had gained power andstopped being cautious. His troops demanded a church where they couldhold worship services in the Arian religion. This was considered thegreatest of insults by the citizens of Constantinople who rioted andmanaged to trap the foreign troops in their church and burn it downaround their ears. Gainas managed to flee with the rest of his army butthey were drowned when they tried to cross the Hellespont where the Romannavy smashed their boats to pieces. Gainas was pursued by Fravitta, whowas probably his secret ally and only halfheartedly tried to catch him.Gainas did not have long to savor the thought of Eutropius' head beingseparated from his body because his own head was soon to decorate a pike.Uldin, King of the Huns, captured Gainas and sent his head as a presentback to Arcadius in Constantinople. Arcadius was married to an intelligent and powerful woman, Eudoxia, whowielded much influence in the politics of the empire and the Church. Hewas not a very strong ruler, and was manipulated by his wife and his morepowerful ministers. In an age of increasing violence and chaos, Arcadiusdied at the palace of Constantinople from illness on May 1, A.D. 408. Hisson Theodosius II succeeded him on the throne. [The Throne of theCaesars: Arcadius, http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/empcont/e242.htm]1 | |
| Name-Var | Flavius Arcadius, Eastern Roman Emperor (?)1 | |
| Birth* | c 0377 | 2,1 |
| Event-Misc | bt 0395 - 0408 | Roman Emperor [East], Type: Reigned 1 |
| Marriage* | 27 Apr 0395 | Aelia Eudoxia (?)3,1 |
| Death* | 0408 | 4,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Aelia Eudoxia (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | 10 Apr 0401 | Theodosius II, Eastern Roman Emperor (?)+1 |
| ||
Theodosius I 'The Great,' Roman Emperor (?)1 (M) b. bt 11 Jan 0346 - 0347, d. bt 17 Jan 0394 - 0395 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0325 | Theodosius the Elder (?)1 |
| Mother-Bio* | c 0325 | Thermantia the Elder (?)1 |
| Note* | Theodosius was asked to take on an almost impossible task and fillValens' shoes as Emperor in the East after one of the greatest disastersto befall the Romans in almost 600 years. The emperor Valens had beenkilled and his army destroyed at Adrianople in August, 378 A. D. The Eastwas left defenseless. Valens' nephew, the young Emperor Gratian, selectedTheodosius because of his family's solid military background. Apparently,Theodosius was willing to forgive the fact that his father had beendisgraced and murdered as a result of a court intrigue a few years beforeduring the reign of Gratian's father, Valentinian I. So Theodosius cameout of retirement at his Spanish villa to serve the Eastern Roman Empirewith his strong leadership skills. No sooner was Theodosius on the throne than he had to deal with threemajor crises. First, his Persian neighbors to the East might try to takeadvantage of the weakened Roman defenses. Persia had been an on again,off again enemy and rival of Rome for more than four hundred years.Theodosius' young nephew Gratian was not very well liked by his subjects,and especially disliked by the high ranking military officers in chargeof the western legions. And, if there things were not enough, somethinghad to be done about Fritigern and the horde of Visigothic raiders whohad annihilated Valens' army. These were indeed strange times. Theodosius was a ruthless general, yet avery pious and religious man. He was also a very capable emperor, rulingwith absolute authority except where his authority came into conflictwith the Catholic Church. A bizarre incident during his reign illustrateshow rulers of the day exercised absolute power over the people they ruledyet would obey the commands of a powerful bishop. The citizens of the Greek city of Thessalonika had rioted and murderedone of the emperor's officers. Theodosius responded by sending adetachment of troops to slaughter anyone they thought had anything to dowith the murder, and they wound up killing many innocent people besides.When Archbishop Ambrose of Milan heard about the deed, he threatened toexcommunicate the emperor. Theodosius had no choice but to begforgiveness and do penance for his deed. After Theodosius had suitablyhumbled himself, waiting outside Ambrose's palace in the snow, he wasduly forgiven. An earlier incident involving riots and threatenedinsurrection in the city of Alexandria did not incur the wrath of thearchbishop, and was ruthlessly put down by Theodosius’ soldiers Perhaps the most famous and important event that occurred during thereign of Theodosius I was the Battle of the River Frigidus. In A.D. 392.Arbogastes, Valentinian II's Frankish Master of Soldiers on the throne inthe West after Valentinian II was either murdered or committed suicide.Arbogastes simply wanted to rule, but it would not be acceptable for aFrank to sit upon the imperial throne. So he chose Eugenius, a Neo-Pagansupported by a group of powerful Roman senators to sit on the throne anddo Arbogastes' bidding. The emperor was married to the sister of the deadValentinian, and she kept pleading with Theodosius to avenge her poorslain brother. When Theodosius came from the East with an army to attackEugenius and Arbogastes, they found the passes of the Julian Alps heavilyfortified. By the best conventional military thinking of the day, no armyentering Italy from the East (as Theodosius did) stood even a slim chanceof defeating a well positioned army defending these high mountain passes.The battle took place during two days in early September, A. D. 394. Onthe evening of the first day of the battle, it appeared that Theodosiuswas in retreat and disarray. Detachments of Eugenius' army moved intopositions to surround and entrap the Theodosian troops. However,Theodosius' agents worked hard throughout the night to turn the loyaltyof Eugenius' troops. By morning, the enemy detachments that had trappedTheodosius were pledging their loyalty to him. With the help of a violentstorm that blew dust in the face of Eugenius' soldiers and snatchedshields and weapons out of their hands, Theodosius and his Visigothicfederated troops totally routed the army of Eugenius. Eugenius wascaptured after the battle and executed and Arbogastes fled into themountains and is believed to have killed himself a few days later. The outcome of this battle held great religious significance for theCatholic Church. Paganism had made its final, desperate stand and hadbeen totally vanquished. Eugenius had represented the interests of suchPagan senatorial families in Rome such as the Symmachi and others. WithEugenius and Arbogastes dead, there would never be another serious threatto Church power from pagan interests. Another strange twist of history isassociated with the Battle of the Frigidus. Theodosius had established amilitary academy for top generals in which a young Visigoth named Alarichad taken his training and had done quite well. Alaric's first majoraction was to take a heavily defended valley at the Battle of theFrigidus. In A. D. 394, the fearsome Goth who would later sack Romeherself was sacrificing the lives of his troops to defend the RomanEmpire against a rebel and usurper. A short fifteen years later, one ofRome's finest generals would be one of her most dreaded enemies. [TheThrone of the Caesars: Theodosius I,http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/empcont/e240.htm]1 | |
| Name-Var | Flavius Theodosius, Roman Emperor (?)1 | |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | bt 11 Jan 0346 - 0347 | Cauca [Coca], Gallaecia [now Spain]2,1 |
| Marriage* | 0376 | Aelia Flaccilla (?)2,1 |
| Event-Misc | bt 0379 - 0395 | Roman Emperor, Type: Reigned 1 |
| Marriage* | 0387 | Galla (?)2,1 |
| Death* | bt 17 Jan 0394 - 0395 | Mediolanum [Milan, now in Italy]2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Aelia Flaccilla (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | c 0377 | Arcadius, Eastern Roman Emperor (?)+1 |
| CoParent | Galla (?) | |
| Dau-Bio* | c 0390 | Aelia Galla Placidia+1 |
Aelia Flaccilla (?)1 (F) b. c 0350, d. 0386 | ||
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Note* | Aelia Flaccilla, wife of Thodosius the Great. Not much is known aboutthe empress Aelia Flaccilla. It is believed that she was a devoutChristian and exerted considerable influence in the religious affairs ofher husband. Theodosius I was the last really powerful Roman emperor andthe last time both East and West were united was during his reign. Hekept his court at Constantinople and it is within the Eastern society ofthis city that Flaccilla functioned as empress. The one piece of historical evidence we have concerning the life of AeliaFlaccilla is related by Gibbon. During the late Fourth Century, there wasa major religious controversy over Arianism, which was the kind ofChristianity popular amongst the Goths and other Germanic nations.Theodosius and Flaccilla were devoutly Catholic, and it came about thatTheodosius had the opportunity to discuss theology with Bunomius, aprominent Arian scholar. As Theodosius was not an educated man, having asoldier’s background, those close to him felt it would be unwise forTheodosius to converse with a learned leader of the heretics. It wasfeared that some well - thought out argument put forth by the scholarmight actually undermine the faith of the emperor. The empress Flaccillaprayed fervently against such a meeting, and Theodosius subsequentlydropped the idea. Aelia Flaccilla had two sons, Arcadius and Honorius, who both becameRoman emperors upon the final division of the Roman Empire. Arcadiusbegan to rule in the East and Honorius in the West after Theodosius’death in A. D. 395. [Women in the Roman World,http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/ladycont/art24.htm]1 | |
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Birth* | c 0350 | Gallaecia [now Spain]1 |
| Marriage* | 0376 | Theodosius I 'The Great,' Roman Emperor (?)2,1 |
| Death* | 0386 | 2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Theodosius I 'The Great,' Roman Emperor (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | c 0377 | Arcadius, Eastern Roman Emperor (?)+1 |
Galla (?)1 (F) b. c 0360 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | 0321 | Valentinian I, Roman Emperor (?)1 |
| Mother-Bio* | c 0330 | Justina (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Birth* | c 0360 | 1 |
| Marriage* | 0387 | Theodosius I 'The Great,' Roman Emperor (?)2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Theodosius I 'The Great,' Roman Emperor (?) | |
| Dau-Bio* | c 0390 | Aelia Galla Placidia+1 |
Theodosius the Elder (?)1 (M) b. c 0325 | ||
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | c 0325 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Thermantia the Elder (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | bt 11 Jan 0346 - 0347 | Theodosius I 'The Great,' Roman Emperor (?)+1 |
| ||
Thermantia the Elder (?)1 (F) b. c 0325 | ||
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Birth* | c 0325 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Theodosius the Elder (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | bt 11 Jan 0346 - 0347 | Theodosius I 'The Great,' Roman Emperor (?)+1 |
| ||
Aelia Eudoxia (?)1 (F) b. bt 0370 - 0380, d. 06 Oct 0404 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0350 | Bauto, Frankish Chieftain and Roman Consul (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Note* | Eudoxia - Wife of Arcadius and mother of Theodosius II - Eudoxia was thewife of the Roman emperor Arcadius and wielded a powerful influence overhim. Arcadius didn’t seem to have either the intelligence or the will torule the vast Late Roman Byzantine Empire and was heavily influenced bythe officers and ministers of his consistory. Eudoxia, like many of the women in the house of Theodosius I had a strongpersonality. She easily dominated her husband when it came to affairs ofstate. She had two very powerful enemies with whom she had to deal, andshe eventually brought about the ruin of both of them. The troubles withJohn of Cappadocia were simply struggles over power and turf. John ofCappadocia was Arcadius’ praetorian prefect who extorted every last pennyin taxes out of the citizens of Constantinople. John Chrysostom (inGreek, Chrysostom is a name meaning The Golden Mouthed) was anotherindividual who had incurred her wrath because his sermons aboutimmorality seemed to be aimed directly at her. Eudoxia was able to getboth men banished to inhospitable towns on the frontiers of the empire.[Women in the Roman World: Eudoxia,http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/ladycont/art25.htm]1 | |
| Birth* | bt 0370 - 0380 | 1 |
| Marriage* | 27 Apr 0395 | Arcadius, Eastern Roman Emperor (?)2,1 |
| Death* | 06 Oct 0404 | 2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Arcadius, Eastern Roman Emperor (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | 10 Apr 0401 | Theodosius II, Eastern Roman Emperor (?)+1 |
Valentinian I, Roman Emperor (?)1 (M) b. 0321, d. 17 Nov 0375 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | c 0300 | Gratianus the Elder (?)1 |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Note* | After the death of the Roman Emperor Jovian, Valentinian was raised tothe throne by the soldiers at Nicaea. In the interest of futurestability, the army made it a condition of Valentinian's elevation thathe appoint a Co-emperor to help him rule. Accordingly, Valentinian chosehis brother Valens to rule the East about a month later. Unlike the allto common tale of brothers sharing the empire and continuously plottingagainst each other in bitter hatred and contention. Valens andValentinian got along wonderfully and shared a true affection for eachother. Valentinian spent much of his reign defending the Rhine frontier againstSarmatians, Quadi, and Goths. There was also trouble in Britain. Picts,Scots, Saxons, and Franks had all but taken over the island province, andValentinian had to send his capable general Theodosius to deal with thesebarbarians. It took him two years to chastise the barbarians and chasethem back across the frontiers. Theodosius was the father of the firstemperor by the same name. History has not preserved the details, butevidently the elder Theodosius later fell out of favor with Valentinianand was executed and his family disgraced. His son was nevertheless ableto forgive Valentinian’s young son Gratian in his hour of need and becomehis co-emperor and protector when asked to do so. Valentinian died in the year A. D. 375 after having received a deputationof Quadi to discuss making a treaty. The insolent behavior so enraged theemperor that he had a fit and died of a stroke. His fifteen year old sonGratian was appointed emperor in his place. [The Throne of the Caesars:Valentinian I, http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/empcont/e212.htm]1 | |
| Name-Var | Flavius Valentinianus, Roman Emperor (?)1 | |
| Birth* | 0321 | 2,1 |
| Event-Misc | bt 0364 - 0375 | Roman Emperor, Type: Reigned 1 |
| Marriage* | c 0370 | Justina (?)1 |
| Death* | 17 Nov 0375 | Brigetio, Pannonia Inferior3,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Justina (?) | |
| Dau-Bio* | c 0360 | Galla (?)+1 |
Justina (?)1 (F) b. c 0330 | ||
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Event-Misc* | F1 | |
| Birth* | c 0330 | 1 |
| Marriage* | c 0370 | Valentinian I, Roman Emperor (?)1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Valentinian I, Roman Emperor (?) | |
| Dau-Bio* | c 0360 | Galla (?)+1 |
| ||
Gratianus the Elder (?)1 (M) b. c 0300 | ||
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Birth* | c 0300 | 1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | ||
| Son-Bio* | 0321 | Valentinian I, Roman Emperor (?)+1 |
| ||
Constantine I, Roman Emperor (?)1 (M) b. bt 27 Feb 0272 - 0273, d. 22 May 0337 Pedigree | ||
| Father-Bio* | 31 Mar 0250 | Constantius I Chlorus, Western Roman Emperor (?)1 |
| Mother-Bio* | 0248 | Helena ferch Coel, Saint Helena of the Cross (?)1 |
| Marriage* | Not Married | Minervina (?)2,1 |
| Event-Misc* | M1 | |
| Note* | Constantine is one of the best known of the Roman Emperors. Someimportant events of his reign included the issuance of the Edict ofMilan, which ended the persecution of Christians and made their worshiplegal, the battle of the Milvian Bridge, and the completion of thepolitical and economic reforms begun under Diocletian. Constantine wasalso important in the history of the Catholic Church for his role at theCouncil of Nicaea, where important points of faith in the early CatholicChurch dealing with the Holy Trinity were worked out. He increased therole of the Catholic Church in the Roman government by placing bishops inhigh political office, where they soon became quite powerful. Constantinewas baptized on his deathbed, the first Roman emperor to receive theChristian faith. One of the famous stories told about Constantine is thatof his vision from God on the night before the battle of the MilvianBridge. Maxentius, the Roman emperor in Italy, had gathered a greatnumber of legions in defiance of Constantine. Galerius had decided to taxthe citizens of Italy, who had been exempt from taxes ever sinceRepublican days. Naturally, the Italian citizens resented this andproclaimed Maxentius emperor in an effort to get the odious taxesremoved. Constantine was not at all sure of his chances of victory.According to legend, Constantine saw the symbol of Jesus Christ’s powerin the clouds and a message written in Latin reading IN HOC SIGNO VINCES,meaning 'In this sign shalt thou conquer.' Immediately, Constantineplaced the sign of Christ on his standards and had it painted on hisshields. Constantine won the day with a decisive victory and Maxentius,thrown from the Milvian Bridge, was drowned when the weight of his armorcaused him to sink into the mud and ooze at the bottom of the RiverTiber. His body was recovered the day after the battle. One of the most famous Roman emperors might never have ascended thethrone if he hadn’t taken a wild ride one night, fleeing for his lifefrom the 'protection' of his 'guardian.' Constantine, then about thirtyyears old, was very popular with the legions and had a good militaryrecord. Furthermore, he was the son of Constantius Chlorus, the Romanemperor in the West. Constantius was preparing for a military campaignagainst the wild painted Picts north of Hadrian's Wall in Britain andwanted his son with him to help lead his legions. Constantius asked theEastern emperor Galerius to send the young man to him. Galerius wasreluctant to let the young man go to his father, where his popularitywith the army might undermine Galerius' authority. It was less than adecade since the island had been wrested from the grip of the twousurpers Carausius and his successor Allectus. The memory of these pastevents and the dangerous example they set for the future were too freshin the mind of the powerful Eastern emperor for him to be comfortableallowing such a well-liked military leader out of his sight. WhenGalerius grudgingly gave his permission, Constantine immediately took afew followers and swiftly fled by night on fast horses. Thanks to theexcellent Roman military roads, they were on the coast of France boardinghis father's ships before Galerius could change his mind and have thepopular young man pursued and recalled. Galerius' fears were soon to beconfirmed. When Constantius Chlorus became ill and died at the Romanmilitary center of York in A. D. 306, the British troops immediatelyproclaimed Constantine emperor of Britain. Galerius was enraged, butConstantine quickly wrote to tell him that the whole idea was concoctedby the troops and that he, Constantine, had had nothing to do with it.Since Constantine was far away and supported by an army, Galeriusrelented and agreed to give him the title of Caesar and raise anotherman, Severus II, to the rank of Augustus in the West to replaceConstantius Chlorus. A few months later, the citizens of Italy rebelled and named Maxentius,the popular son of Maximianus their emperor. Galerius had increased theirtaxes and had removed the tax-exempt status Rome had enjoyed since thedays of the Republic. Maxentius then invited his father to come out ofretirement and rejoin him as co-emperor. Soon the two rebels were joinedby Constantine, who was again claiming the title of Augustus. Galeriussent Severus II to deal with the rebels but Severus was defeated andlater put to death by Maximianus. Things had gotten so bad by this timethat the Roman Empire was in danger of returning to the anarchy and civilwar of the Third Century. Diocletian agreed to come out of retirementhimself and chair a peace conference at the military town of Carnuntum onthe Danube. According to the agreement, Constantine was to be demoted tothe rank of Caesar and Valerius Licinianus Licinius was made Augustus inthe West.. Additionally, Maximianus was forced again to abdicate andMaxentius was declared an enemy of the people. The final showdown with Maxentius came in A. D. 312 at the MilvianBridge. Constantine made an alliance with Licinius in order to bring moretroops against his rival, and easily won the battle in which Maxentiuswas killed. After Constantine's victory over Maxentius, Constantine andLicinius were left in joint control of the vast Roman Empire. In A. D.317, Constantine's sons Crispus and Constantine II and Licinius' sonLicinius II were appointed Caesars. The strong-willed, power seeking personalities of both Constantine andLicinius virtually ensured there would be trouble between the two rulers.From 312 to 324, relations between the Augusti steadily deteriorated.Finally, war broke out between the two over an incident in which Liciniuschased some raiding barbarians into territory ruled by Constantine.Constantine defeated Licinius in two battles at Hadrianopolis andChrysopolis. Though Constantine spared both Licinius and his son, theywere soon plotting against Constantine to regain their thrones.Constantine had both of them put to death. Soon after Constantine had defeated Licinius, he began work on theancient Greek city of Byzantium to transform it into his new Capital ofthe East. Six years later, on May 11, A. D. 330. the beautiful new cityof Constantinopolis, or Constantinople to the modern reader, wasdedicated. In A. D. 325, Constantine presided over the Council of Nicaea. Bishopsfrom all over the Roman world gathered together to have Constantine helpthem decide on the nature of God. They worked out the doctrine of theHoly Trinity, in which Father, Son, and Holy Ghost were found to be equalpersons in one God. Also, the Arian heresy was denounced at the Councilof Nicaea. The Arians believed that Jesus Christ was somehow of a lesserimportance, and had been created by God the Father. Two years later, dark intrigue and tragedy struck the house ofConstantine. Constantine’s wife, Fausta, had accused Constantine's eldestson Crispus of adultery with her and plotting to seize the throne.Without checking the truth of these accusations, Constantine had his sonmurdered. It is thought that she made the accusation in order to placeone of her own sons in line for the throne, as Crispus was Constantine'sson by a previous marriage. When Constantine discovered that he had beenlied to, he had Fausta suffocated or boiled alive in her bath by slowlyrunning up the temperature of the water. Constantine died at Nicomedia on May 22, 337. It is believed that he wasbaptized a Christian on his deathbed. After his death, his two nephews,Hanniballianus and Delmatius were put to death in the ensuing strugglefor power. Both had been made caesars a few years before. [The Throne ofthe Caesars: Constantine I,http://myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/empcont/e184.htm]1 | |
| Name-Var | Flavius Valerius Constantinus, Roman Emperor (?)1 | |
| Burial* | Church of the Holy Apostles, Constantinople2,1 | |
| GEDCOM | Minervina (?); _MEN Divorce1 | |
| Birth* | bt 27 Feb 0272 - 0273 | Naissus [Nis, Yugoslavia]2,1 |
| GEDCOM* | 0307 | Minervina (?); _FA1 1 |
| Event-Misc | bt 0307 - 0337 | Roman Emperor, Type: Reigned 1 |
| Death* | 22 May 0337 | Ankyrona near Nicomedia, Bithynia, Turkey2,1 |
| Immigrant | O | |
| Last Edited | 12 Apr 2001 | |
| CoParent | Minervina (?) | |
| Son-Bio* | 0303 | Gaius Flavius Julius Crispus, Caesar (?)+1 |
Minervina (?)1 (F) b. c 0280 | ||
| Marriage* | Not Married | Constantine I, Roman Emperor (?)2,1 |
| GEDCOM | Constantine I, Roman Emperor (?); _MEN Divorce1 | |
| Death | 2,1 | |
| Event-Misc | X, Type: Progenitor1 | |