GENSERIC, king of the Vandals. — Natural son
of King Godigisclus, he ascended the throne after the death of
his half-brother Gunderic (428). Short in stature, lame,
crafty, he was nonetheless a warrior and a skilled politician.
Pressed by the Visigoths in Spain, and taking advantage of
the sorry state of Africa, torn by religious strife and neglected by
imperial authority, he set about its conquest. In 429 he landed
there, sacking it, burning churches, killing ecclesiastics and per-
secuting Catholics. The following year he besieged Hippo,
but after 14 months he failed to take it: during the siege St.
Augustine died. Count Boniface, who had shut himself up in the
city, attempted a pitched battle, but was defeated (432) and G.
remained master of Mauretania, Numidia and much of Procon-
sular Africa. In 435 he reached an agreement with the court
of Ravenna, which recognized his conquests on condition that he
not molest Carthage and pay an annual tribute. Four years later,
however (439), he broke the pact and captured Carthage. Once
again the imperial court had to accept the fait accompli, and G.
was officially recognized as king of the new independent state,
comprising all Roman Africa.
A fanatical Arian, he set about persecuting Catholics in every
way, and with a powerful fleet spread terror throughout the
Mediterranean, subjecting its principal islands and frequently
sacking the coasts of southern Italy. At the death of Valentinian
III (455) he considered himself free of his undertakings and
directly attempted a blow against the Empire. On May 3 he
landed at Ostia; Rome, prey to tumult and terror, could not be
defended. Only Pope Leo the Great dared confront the barbarian
king, as he had done three years earlier with Attila, but he could
only obtain that arson and the slaughter of the defenceless be
spared. For 14 days the city was systematically sacked and G.
returned to Africa bringing with him a huge booty and thousands
of prisoners, among whom were the Empress Eudoxia and her
daughters Placidia and Eudocia. Now powerful and feared, G.
kept the combined forces of East and West at bay for several
years. In 460 he destroyed a fleet of 300 ships prepared to attack
him in Africa, and in 468 he knew how to avert the grave peril
that threatened him from the united forces of the two Empires
and also conquered Sicily. This island was later ceded in 476 to
Odoacer in exchange for an annual tribute. G. died in 477, leav-
ing a powerful kingdom to his son Unneric.