Valentinian III

Valentinian III (419-455), Western Roman emperor (425-455). He was put on the throne under the regency of his mother by Theodosius II, Roman emperor of the East. Valentinian was weak; from 433 to 454 his general Flavius Aetius was the actual ruler. During his reign, much of the Western Empire was ravaged by invaders; Africa was seized (429) by Gaiseric, king of the Vandals; and the Danubian provinces, Gaul, and Italy were overrun (441) by Attila, king of the Huns. Aetius won a great victory over Attila in 451 at Châlons-sur-Marne (now Châlons-en-Champagne), Gaul. Valentinian killed Aetius in 454 but was murdered the following year by two of the general's supporters.