Honorius (Civ5)/Civilopedia

Honorius (384-423 AD) was the younger son of Roman Emperor Theodosius I. When Theodosius died in 395, he divided the empire between his son Arcadius in the east and the eight-year-old Honorius in the west. His reign was chaotic, although the support of the able general Stilicho - initially Honorius's guardian, later his father-in-law - brought some measure of stability. The reign of Honorius is now seen as the beginning of the end of Western Rome, which would collapse completely within a century.
Honorius was plagued by almost constant barbarian incursions and revolts - in Gaul, Iberia, North Africa and Italy itself. The first crisis was a two-year revolt in Africa, eventually subdued by Stilicho. It was quickly followed by the Visigoth invasion of Italy under their king Alaric I. Stilicho returned and summoned the legions of Britain to defeat them in 406 AD. That same year an enormous horde composed of Ostrogoths, Alans and Vandals crossed the frozen Rhine into Gaul. In response, by 410 Britain was abandoned entirely and the legions formerly there were used to hold the Rhine against further invasions. Meanwhile Honorius fled Rome as the Visigoths approached, sacking the city in 410 before withdrawing.
In the last years of his reign, Honorius was forced to grant Roman lands to various barbarian tribes. A treaty signed in 418 allowed the Visigoths to establish a kingdom in southwestern Gaul, from which they would spread into Roman holdings in Iberia. A Frankish client-state was created in northern Gaul, ostensibly under the rule of Honorius but in actuality governed by the Salian Frank Chlodio. By Honorius's death, large portions of the Western Roman Empire were under barbarian control, laying the foundations for the medieval kingdoms of Britain, France and Spain. But he had managed to keep the core of the empire intact. Honorius died of edema in August 423, leaving no heir. The following year, the Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius II appointed his cousin, Valentinian III, the new emperor in the west.