Vandal Kingdom

Quick Facts: Who was Vandal Kingdom?

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Vandal Kingdom

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Barbarian kingdom ruling North Africa and parts of the Western Mediterranean (435–534 AD).

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

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.

Career & Major Achievements

In 439 AD, the Vandals renewed their advance eastward and captured Carthage, the most important city in North Africa. The fledgling kingdom then conquered the Roman-ruled islands of Mallorca, Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica in the western Mediterranean. In the 460s AD, the Romans launched two unsuccessful military expeditions by sea in an attempt to overthrow the Vandals and reclaim North Africa. The conquest of North Africa by the Vandals was a blow to the beleaguered Western Roman Empire, as North Africa had been a major source of revenue and a supplier of grain, especially wheat, to the city of Rome. Although primarily remembered for their sack of Rome in 455 AD and the persecution of Nicene Christians in favour of Arian Christianity, the Vandals also supported the continued construction of educational institutions in their kingdom.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

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. The Vandals, under their new king Gaiseric (also known as Genseric or Geiseric), crossed to Africa in 429, beginning the Vandalic conquest of Roman Africa. Although their numbers are unknown and some historians debate the validity of estimates, based on Procopius's assertion that the Vandals and Alans numbered 80,000 when they moved to North Africa, Peter Heather estimates that they could have fielded an army of around 15,000–20,000.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Vandal Kingdom

True or False: “The Vandal Kingdom's control over North Africa was primarily significant because it secured a vital source of grain for the city of Rome.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): North Africa was historically crucial as a major supplier of revenue and grain, especially wheat, to the beleaguered Western Roman Empire.

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