Wallia
Wallia was a notable king of the Visigoths, proclaimed in 415 CE. His reign began amidst significant challenges, including a failed attempt to sail to Africa due to a storm. To secure resources for his people, he negotiated a treaty with the Roman general Constantius III, which involved the exchange of Galla Placidia, the daughter of a Roman emperor, for grain and military support. Wallia's alliance with Rome marked a pivotal moment for the Visigoths, as he undertook military campaigns against rival barbarian tribes, notably the Siling Vandals and Alani, significantly diminishing their presence in Spain.
In 418 CE, Wallia's successes prompted a relocation of his people to Gaul, where they were granted land in Aquitania. This move was instrumental in establishing a lasting Visigothic presence in what is now southern France, with Toulouse becoming their capital. Wallia's reign, though brief, had a profound impact on the Visigoths and their integration into the fabric of post-Roman Europe. He passed away shortly after moving to Gaul, leaving behind a legacy tied to the transformation of the Visigothic identity and their relationship with the Roman Empire.
Wallia
Related civilization: Visigoths
Major role/position: King of the Visigoths
Life
Ataulphus, Wallia’s predecessor, had married Galla Placidia, the daughter of the Roman emperor Theodosius. When Wallia was proclaimed king in 415 c.e., he attempted a crossing to Africa, but his transports were wrecked in a storm. In desperation, he concluded a treaty with the Roman general (later emperor) Constantius III for grain in exchange for Galla Placidia and military service to the empire. She was exchanged for 600,000 measures of corn, and Constantius eventually married her.
Wallia thus became an ally of the empire and determined to rid Spain of other barbarian tribes. The campaigns of the Visigoths from 416 and 418 c.e. almost completely destroyed the the Siling Vandals and Alani. In 417 c.e., Wallia sent two captive Vandal kings to the emperor Honorius. However, the Roman Empire was alarmed at the apparent ease with which Wallia despatched his fellow barbarians and in 418 c.e. ordered him into Gaul, where the Visigoths were offered land in Aquitania. Wallia was pleased with this and marched with his people into their new homeland in 418 c.e. He died soon after.
Influence
Wallia destroyed the Siling Vandals and Alani in Spain and moved his people into Gaul, where the Visigothic capital was established at Toulouse.
Bibliography
Blockley, R. C. The Fragmentary Classicising Historians of the Later Roman Empire. Liverpool, England: Francis Cairns, 1981.
Heather, P. J. Goths and Romans, 332-489. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.
Wolfram, Herwig. History of the Goths. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988.