By 410 Goths were sacking the city of Rome. Europeans of the Middle Ages launched and faced centuries of migrations and invasions in and from every direction. For the entire period of the Middle Ages Europe was an enormous game board for ambitious leaders of tribes and nations from every corner of the European continent and beyond. There were perhaps twice this number sweeping in and, almost as quickly, being swept back out. Within Europe at the contraction of the Western Roman Empire were many Germanic factions or tribes such as the Frisians, Angles, Saxons, Franks, Lombards, Thuringians, Burgundians, Alemanni, Marcomanni, Quadi, Gepids, Rugians, Visogoths, Ostrogoths, Asding and Siling Vandals and more.
Most names are now but footnotes of the Middle Ages.
With so many aggressors wandering the continent plundering and looting and demanding fealty to totally foreign systems, powers and beliefs it was incumbent on people to take a suspicious and defensive stance with all passing through their districts. Eventually each of these peoples would have a turn at being the wandering nation seeking more room, food, power or just plunder. These were devastating centuries and, with the additional ravages of hunger and disease, it would be reasonable to wonder how civilization managed to advance at all. The Huns were still on their rampage westward and it wasn't until 451 that they were turned around after threatening Gaul which, for the most part, is present day France. Shortly thereafter Clovis, King of the Franks, the tribe that had breached the Roman lines at the Rhine, succeeded in capturing the northwestern area of Gaul.