les (508
A. D.). and recovered Narbonese Gaul. However, the greater part of
Aquitania remained in the hands of the Franks. Theoderic established his
grandson Amalaric as king of the Visigoths and exercised a regency in his
name (510 A. D.). Clovis died in 511 and the expansion of the Franks
ceased for a time. However, the death of Theoderic in 526 was the signal
for fresh disturbances. The Visigothic king Amalaric at once asserted his
independence in southern Gaul and in Spain. But not long afterwards, in
531, he fell in battle against the Franks, who seized the remaining
Visigothic possessions in Gaul except Septimania--the coast district
between the Pyrenees and the Rhone. Three years later they overthrew the
kingdom of the Burgundians and so brought under their sway the whole of
Gaul outside of Septimania and Provence.

In 533 A. D. the situation in the west was as follows. Gaul was mainly in
the hands of the Franks, Spain was under the Visigoths, the Vandals were
still established in Africa, and the Ostrogoths in Italy. Both of the
latter kingdoms, however, were showing signs of internal weakness. In
addition to the hostility between the Germanic conquerors and the subject
Roman population, factional strife had broken out over the succession to
the throne. Evidence of the declining power of the Vandals in particular
was the success of the Moorish tribes in winning their independence. By
525 both Mauretania and Numidia had been abandoned to them, and the tribes
of Tripolis had shaken off the Vandal yoke. In 530 the Moors of southern
Byzacene inflicted a severe defeat on the Vandals, which led to the
deposition of the ruling king. The weakness of these states seemed to
offer a favorable opportunity for the reestablishment of the imperial
authority in the West.

II. THE RESTORATION OF THE IMPERIAL POWER IN THE WEST: 553-554 A. D.

*Justin I, 518-527 A. D.* Anastasius died in 518 and was succeeded by
Justin, an Illyrian of humble origin who had risen to the important post
of commander of the imperial body guard (_comes excubitorum_). Unlike his
predecessor Justin was an adherent of the orthodox faith, and at the
opening of his reign an exceedingly influential position was held by the
general Vitalian, who had been the champion of orthodoxy against
Anastasius. He became master of the soldiers at Constantinople and in 520
was honored with the consulship. But his power and unscrupulous ambitions
constituted a re