VALENTINIAN II (Flavius Valentinianus Augustus), ROMAN EMPEROR OF THE WEST. — Son of the preceding and of Giustina, born in 371, died in Gaul in 392.
At his father’s death (375), through his mother’s intervention he was proclaimed Augustus and Graziano (v.) Valente (v.); Italy, Illyricum, and Africa were assigned to him. Given his tender age, it is not possible to speak of a political activity on the part of V., since effective government was in the hands of Giustina (v.) and the magister militum, the Frank Bautone. The Empress’s pro-Arian policy led in 385–86 to the dramatic confrontation with s. Ambrogio over the cession of a basilica to the sect (s. Ambrogio, Ep. 20 to Marcellina: PL 16, 1936), from which the Saint emerged victorious. In 387 Ambrogio himself agreed to go to Treviri to prevent the imminent invasion of Italy by the usurper Massimo (v.), who had written to the young Emperor an able letter urging him to desist from persecuting the Catholics (PL 13, 591–94). The following year Massimo came to Italy; V. took refuge with Teodosio, who brought him back to Milan after defeating Massimo (Aug. 388), and, Giustina having died, placed the Frankish general Arbogaste at his side. From this moment the young Emperor
For his Catholic faith he fell into disfavor under Costanzo II and was even removed from the army by Giuliano. Reinstated by Gioviano, he was promoted to tribune and, at the latter’s death (Feb. 364), was elected emperor; in the following Valente (v.) with himself, entrusting him with the eastern part of the Empire while retaining the West for himself. Desiring to improve the social conditions of his subjects, he issued several laws which nevertheless remained ineffective. He fought against the barbarians who pressed from every
also benefited from the advice of s. Ambrogio, who sought to make him worthy of the great Teodosio. The fruits of this friendship were the decree of 391 proscribing every pagan cult and the refusal to have the Altar of Victory, already demolished by Graziano, restored. But Arbogaste’s guardianship over the young V. was becoming more oppressive each day; he was relieved of his office, but a few days later the Emperor was found dead in his bed. S. Ambrogio mourned his premature death and composed a splendid eulogy for him (Ep. 53 to Teodosio: PL 16, 1215; De obitu Valentiniani, ibid., 1418–43).