Roman Emperor. He was born in 419 AD and was descended from the Emperors Valentinian I and Theodosius I, as well as being the nephew of Honorius and cousin of the Eastern Emperor Theodosius II. In 421 AD, on his father's death, he went with his family to live at the court of Theodosius II in Constantinople. Theodosius named him as Caesar of the Western Empire in 424 AD in place of the usurper Joannes. After Joannes was defeated he was declared Emperor in Rome while still only six years old. Due to his young age, real power initially lay in the hands of first his mother and, after 433 AD, by the General Flavius Aetius. His reign saw the break up of much of the Western Empire, with the invasion of Africa by the Vandals in 439 AD, and of Spain and Gaul by the barbarians. In addition, Sicily and the Western Mediterranean coast were repeatedly attacked by the navy of Geiseric. General Aetius won a victory over Attila the Hun near Chalons in 451 AD and campaigned successfully against the Visigoths in Southern Gaul. Attila attacked Ravenna in 452 AD, forcing Valentinian to flee to Rome. He became increasingly afraid of Aetius' power and had him executed in 454 AD. He was himself murdered by Aetius' followers a year later. His reign was the subject of John Fletcher's play "Valentinian" in 1612.
Roman Emperor. He was born in 419 AD and was descended from the Emperors Valentinian I and Theodosius I, as well as being the nephew of Honorius and cousin of the Eastern Emperor Theodosius II. In 421 AD, on his father's death, he went with his family to live at the court of Theodosius II in Constantinople. Theodosius named him as Caesar of the Western Empire in 424 AD in place of the usurper Joannes. After Joannes was defeated he was declared Emperor in Rome while still only six years old. Due to his young age, real power initially lay in the hands of first his mother and, after 433 AD, by the General Flavius Aetius. His reign saw the break up of much of the Western Empire, with the invasion of Africa by the Vandals in 439 AD, and of Spain and Gaul by the barbarians. In addition, Sicily and the Western Mediterranean coast were repeatedly attacked by the navy of Geiseric. General Aetius won a victory over Attila the Hun near Chalons in 451 AD and campaigned successfully against the Visigoths in Southern Gaul. Attila attacked Ravenna in 452 AD, forcing Valentinian to flee to Rome. He became increasingly afraid of Aetius' power and had him executed in 454 AD. He was himself murdered by Aetius' followers a year later. His reign was the subject of John Fletcher's play "Valentinian" in 1612.
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