Gaiseric

Genseric, also Geiseric or Gaiseric (c. 389–477), was the king of the Vandals and Alans from about 428 until his death. He founded and sustained a powerful kingdom in North Africa, with Carthage as its capital, and he became one of the leading maritime powers of his era. His reign marked the emergence of a distinct Vandal state within the former western provinces of the Roman Empire.

Genseric expanded Vandal influence by moving his people from Iberia into Africa. Between 429 and 439 the Vandals crossed into North Africa, eventually capturing Carthage in 439 and establishing the Vandal Kingdom, which controlled the coastal regions and dominated western Mediterranean trade for several decades. The regime relied on a strong navy and fortifications, making it a persistent challenge for the Western Roman Empire.

One of the most notable events of Genseric’s reign was the sack of Rome in 455. The Vandals, leveraging their maritime reach, attacked and plundered the city, dealing a major blow to the Western Roman state and enhancing the status of the Vandal kingdom in the Mediterranean world. Throughout his rule, Genseric pursued both military and diplomatic strategies, maintaining independence from Rome while exploiting opportunities to secure resources and support.

Genseric died in Carthage in 477 and was succeeded by his son Huneric. His long reign established the Vandals as a durable political and military force in North Africa, a power that persisted until the Byzantine reconquest in the following century. The term “Vandal” and the memory of the 455 sack have left a lasting impression in historical and literary contexts.