Honorius

Honorius ordered the execution of his magister militum Stilicho, who had effectively ruled the Western Empire. Stilicho was accused of treason and executed, leading to the massacre of barbarian soldiers' families and weakening Roman defenses.

The Visigoths under King Alaric sacked the city of Rome, the first time in 800 years that the city had fallen to a foreign enemy. Honorius, residing in Ravenna, failed to prevent the sack, which shocked the Roman world.

Honorius wrote to the cities of Britain telling them to look to their own defense, effectively ending Roman rule in Britain. This withdrawal allowed Anglo-Saxon settlement and the formation of early medieval kingdoms.