Flavius Aetius

Aetius defeated the Franks and forced them to accept Roman authority. He also settled the Alans in Gaul as foederati (allied barbarians), using them to bolster Roman defenses. These actions stabilized the Rhine frontier temporarily.

Aetius fought a civil war against his rival Bonifacius, the comes of Africa. Aetius was defeated at the Battle of Rimini (432) and fled to the Huns, but returned after Bonifacius's death to become the dominant figure in the Western Empire.

Aetius campaigned against the Visigoths in Gaul, defeating them at the Battle of Mons Colubrarius (436). He also suppressed the Burgundians, leading to the destruction of their kingdom at Worms (437), which later inspired the Nibelungenlied.

Flavius Aetius, commanding a coalition of Romans, Visigoths, and other barbarians, defeated Attila the Hun at the Catalaunian Plains (near modern Ch

Emperor Valentinian III personally stabbed and killed Flavius Aetius during a meeting, accusing him of treason. This act removed the Western Empire's most effective general and led to a rapid decline in Roman military power.