Tue, Mar 6, 2007
Under three generations of leaders know as the Merovingian dynasty a tribe in Europe called the Franks established an empire that comprised all of Gaul and its surrounding regions. This feat was accomplished through flirtations with the Roman empire and Catholic Church including military service and conversion to Christianity.
Tue, Mar 6, 2007
The Lombards were a small Scandanavian tribe that migrated to southern Europe and eventually to northern Italy. Then under the command of Albowin who deftly employed allies and intrigue to vanquish rivals, succeeded in conquering the whole of Italy until shaky relations with the Catholic Church lead to his downfall.
Sun, Mar 4, 2007
Driven from the Baltics by the Huns and across Europe by Roman surrogates, a small group of refugees known as the Vandals was pushed into southern Spain. There a shrewd, ambitious and ruthless leader, Gaiseric, took advantage of Roman disunity and intrigue to seize the Roman bread basket of North Africa and Sicily including the wealthy city of Carthage, plunder that eastern Mediterranean including Rome and finally vie for a governing role in the Roman Empire.