Taifales

The Taïfales are a barbarian people of Germanic origin not , and which forever have a very great importance during the time of the Great invasions. It seems that these quarrelsome people are close to the Sarmates and originating in the south of current the Russia.

They accompany Sarmates on the the Danube and one finds them facing the Goths in 332. A little later they sign a contract, a fœdus , with Rome. Under the terms of this contract, some clans are authorized to enter legally and peacefully the Roman Empire, an empire threatened of any share and which needs men to occupy its grounds and especially to be used as mercenaries.

clans taïfales combined with of Goths to tackle the empire in 377 are beaten and the survivors are installed in north of the Italy and in Gaulle like colonists - farmers.

In 378, of Taïfales are mentioned among the tribes accompanying the Huns in their invasion by the Thrace and one finds their descendants in 451 combatant with the catalaunic Champs at the sides of Attila, while others follow the Visigoths in the Empire after their victory over the emperor Valens to the battles of Turkey-red cotton.

The history of the latter, very few, mixes consequently with that with the Visigoths, whom they follow as a Gaulle (412), being established in Aquitaine.

A little later probably in agreement with Rome, they settle in the north of the Poitou: a tribe is confined with Poitiers, another settles in the Low-Poitou, towards the current cities of Montaigu and of the Herbiers, (the Vendée); perhaps these Taïfales give their name to the country of Tiffauges. Perhaps the locality of Taphaleschat in Corrèze, owes its strange name with these people, as well as the names of Toufailles and Toufailloux in Aquitaine, and even that of Chauffailles (in the past Taïfailia ) in Burgundy.

Gregoire de Tours still mentions of Taïfales as a Gaulle at the 6th century. Although not very many, their last mention as a distinct group dates from the year 561, that is to say 150 years after their arrival as a Gaulle.

Perhaps in Spain, the town of Tafalla in the south of Pampelune owes its name with these people. But we do not know if it is about an establishment of Taïfales established by the Romains before the arrival of the Visigoths as a Gaulle into 412, or if it is about a posterior establishment.

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