Vandal Kingdom

The Vandal Kingdom (Latin: Regnum Vandalum) or Kingdom of the Vandals and Alans (Latin: Regnum Vandalorum et Alanorum) was a confederation of Vandals and Alans, and a barbarian kingdom established under Gaiseric (or Genseric), a Vandalic warlord. It ruled parts of North Africa and the Mediterranean for 99 years from 435 to 534 AD.

In 429 AD, an estimated 80,000 Vandals, using their boats, crossed over from Hispania to North Africa. They advanced eastward, conquering the coastal regions of what is now Tunisia, and Algeria. In 435 AD, the Western Roman Empire, then ruling North Africa, allowed the Vandals to settle in the provinces of Numidia and Mauretania when it became clear that the Vandals could not be defeated through military force. In 439 AD, the Vandals renewed their advance eastward and captured Carthage, the most important city in North Africa.

Although primarily remembered for their sack of Rome in 455 AD, the Vandals also supported the continued construction of educational institutions in their kingdom. According to historian Richard Miles, North Africa hosted "many of the most innovative writers and natural scientists" of the late Latin-speaking Western Roman Empire.

The Vandal Kingdom ended in 534 AD, when it was conquered by Belisarius in the Vandalic War and incorporated into the Eastern Roman Empire. The surviving Vandals either assimilated into the indigenous African population or were dispersed among the Byzantine territories.

History

Establishment

Main articles: Vandal conquest of Roman Africa and Vandal War (439-442)

The Vandals, led by their king Gaiseric, crossed to Africa in 429. They moved eastward along the coast and eventually captured the city of Carthage in 439, making it their capital. Under Gaiseric, the Vandals built a strong kingdom that included parts of Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Malta, and the Balearic Islands.

The grain trade

North Africa was an important source of grain for the city of Rome. Before the Vandals took control, it fed Rome for much of the year. Even after they took over, grain shipments to Rome continued for a time, though relations between the Vandals and Rome were often tense.

Sack of Rome

Main article: Sack of Rome (455)

In 455, the Vandals sacked the city of Rome. They took valuable items and captured some important people, including the Empress Licinia Eudoxia and her daughters. This event made the Vandals famous for their raids and led to the word "vandalism" being used to describe destructive behavior.

Later years

Main article: Vandal War (461-468)

After sacking Rome, the Vandals faced many challenges. Roman empires tried several times to defeat them, but the Vandals defended their kingdom successfully for many years. Eventually, internal conflicts and pressures from other groups weakened their power.

Final years and conquest by the Eastern Roman Empire

Main article: Vandalic War

In 533, the Byzantine general Belisarius launched an attack on the Vandal Kingdom. After several battles, the Vandals were defeated, and their kingdom ended. The land became part of the Byzantine Empire, and many Vandals were absorbed into the Byzantine army.

Religious policies

The Vandals, who followed Arianism, treated Nicene Christians harshly after they took over parts of North Africa. They took away many church buildings and forced some Christian leaders to leave their homes. This helped the Vandals strengthen their own Arian beliefs and control their followers.

Later Vandal kings continued these strict rules against Nicene Christians. Some even tried to make Arianism the main religion, stopping Christian services and taking more church properties. However, a few Vandal rulers were more tolerant for short periods before returning to harsh policies.

Administration

The Vandal Kingdom managed its land and people in ways that were similar to the Roman way. They used Roman ideas for money and taxes, and their soldiers were organized like Roman soldiers too. The leaders of the Vandals were wealthy landowners who took over from Roman nobles. One of their big sources of wealth came from growing and selling grain and oil, which they sent to other places. This wealth allowed them to build fancy homes and important religious buildings.

Population

Most people living in the Vandal Kingdom before the Vandals arrived thought of themselves as Roman. The Vandals were a smaller group compared to the overall population.

Economy

The economy of the Vandal Kingdom was difficult to measure overall. The Vandals did not mint gold coins, but they raised taxes mainly to fund their growing army. Trade still happened, especially with pottery exports, though at reduced levels. It is unclear if grain shipments to Rome continued during this time, as trade across the Mediterranean declined in the 5th century.

Upon settling in Africa, the Vandals took land from wealthy senators and allocated it to themselves. However, those who lost their land still retained their rights. People who were already living in the area and were wealthy continued to keep their wealth and influence.