Flavius Honorius

Flavius Honorius (September 9th 384 - August 15th 423), Roman Emperor of Occident.

Biography

Born with Constantinople in 384, he is the son of Théodose {{Ier}} and of Aelia Flacilla and the younger brother of Arcadius. He became the first monarch of the Roman Empire of Occident in 395 with died of his father after this one had shared the empire between its two sons, divides which will be, for the Roman, final empire. Honorius is only 11 years old with died of his/her father. This one charges Stilicon, general of origin Vandale, husband of one of his cousins, Serena, niece of Théodose 1st, to take care on the two brothers. Stilicon is the true Master of the Western Empire until in 408 and twice saves the throne of Honorius of the Germanic invasions by its military victories of Pollenza in 402 over Alaric {{Ier}} and of Fiesole in 406 over the Ostrogoths of Radagaise. It is him which decides to transfer the capital to Ravenne, protected by a belt from marshes, where Honorius installs its palate, its court and its administration. Moreover it makes marry in Honorius his daughter Maria then with died of the latter another of his daughters, Thermantia.

But Stilicon wishes to also intervene in the businesses of the Byzantine Empire. It eliminates the powerful minister from Arcadius, Rufin the substitute by Eutrope (395) but enters then in conflict with this one (towards 399) and ends up obtaining its reference and its execution. Quotas Goths temporarily combined in Stilicon penetrate even in Constantinople before being there massacred in 400.

In 408 a coalition trains against Stilicon within the anxious Roman army of massive recruitments mercenaries cruel and reproaching this last for not having succeeded in protecting the Gaulle from the invasion of the Vandales and the Suèves (406/408). Stilicon is assassinated with its family on order of Honorius the August 23rd 408 and is replaced like Préfet of the court by Olympius. The empire quickly will succumb under the blows of the various Germanic people. The vandals and Suèves settle in Spain in 409 and Honorius gives them the statute of federate in 412. Especially the Visigoths of Alaric I {{er}} besiege Rome in 408, 409 and end up seizing it the August 24th 410. The bag of the symbol city of the empire, although it is not any more the capital, accentuates the forfeiture of an empire which is reduced only to Italy and the North Africa. Honorius does not defend Rome and seems exceeded by the events. It resides especially at Milan or Ravenne and organizes festivals and pleasures. It succeeds in getting rid of the Visigoths, after the death of Alaric I {{er}}, in their giving the Aquitaine where they settle in 416 with the statute of federate.

Honorius is confronted with a great number of usurpations like those of Jovin, Priscus Attale, in 409/410, Maxime, in 409/411 and especially that of Constantin III in 407/411. The general Flavius Constantius tries an ultimate start and reduces Constantin III to Arles then the other Maxime usurper in 411. He drives out de Gaulle towards 414/415 Athaulf, the successor of Alaric Ier with the head of the Visigoths, and marries towards 415 Galla Placidia, widow of Athaulf and sister of Honorius. He is made proclaim Auguste in February 421, under the name of Constance III, but Théodose II does not recognize it, and a conflict will open between the two empires, when Constance III dies in September 421.

Honorius dies on August 15th 423 of hydropisy. Théodose II would have liked to restore the imperial unit, but vis-a-vis the usurpation of Jean 423/425, it is resigned to crown like César in 424, then like Auguste in 425 the nephew of Honorius, Valentinien III, wire of Galla Placidia and Constance III.

See too

Internal bonds

• late Antiquity

Random links:

Avignon (regional municipality of county) | Edouard Tirel of Martinière | Herennia Etruscilla | Federal chancellery (Swiss) | Natural stock management