At the beginning of the 5th century, the Huns chased the Vandals and their Sarmatian allies from their territories. The Hasdings of King Godégisel and the Sillings of Frédébal then join the Suevi or Swabians, and the Alans and move towards the upper course of the Rhine. Maintained for a time on the east bank of the river by the Roman defensive system (the Rhenish limes), all of these peoples crossed the frozen river according to legend, during the night of New Year's Eve (in reality it took more one night for the crossing) on December 31, 406, thus entering the Western Roman Empire en masse and participating in the great invasions.
In Gaul (407-409)
The Vandals, like their allies, encountered resistance from the Frankish auxiliaries and other West Germanic tribes federated in the service of Rome. The latter, first winners of the Vandals, encumbered by their families, and who would have lost 20,000 men (?) and their king Godégisel (killed in battle), are however beaten, mainly thanks to the intervention of the heavy cavalry of the Alans (the Cataphracts).
The Vandals then take part in the invasion of Gaul which they plunder, in all directions, for nearly two years. After which, they migrate in the company of the Alans and the Suevi towards the Pyrenees.
In Spain (409-429)
In the fall of 409, the Vandals entered the Iberian Peninsula, where they settled with some of their Alani allies (some clans of whom remained in Gaul, particularly on the Loire). The Hasdings settled for a time in Betica with the Alans, who roamed the plains of the Tagus, while the Sillings, in agreement with the Suevi, settled in southern Galicia:after having set Spain on fire and bloodshed, spreading famine and desolation everywhere, they were crushed in 418 by Visigothic federated troops commanded by their king Wallia in person, sent by Rome to restore order. The Sueves were beaten several times, repulsed and confined to the northwest of the peninsula. The Alans, much less numerous than the Visigoths, were reduced, while the Sillings, very hard hit, were forced to join their cousins in the South and recognize as king, King Hasding Gunderic around 419:it was at this time that the name of Vandals designates them commonly. They plundered the region of the future Andalusia for about ten years. This step is very important for them, because it allows them to become the only barbarian people mastering navigation (after having enlisted sailors by force), while they widen the field of their actions to the Balearic Islands and on the north coast. African.
Finally, it was perhaps during their twenty-year stay in Spain that the Vandals partially converted to Arianism (perhaps under Visigothic influence), a conversion with serious consequences thereafter.
In North Africa (429-439)
In 428, Genséric becomes king of the Vandals and the Alans, succeeding his half-brother Gunderic, probably killed by Suevi (impaled). Probably attracted by the wealth of Roman Africa, still spared by the Barbarians, which he discovered in Mauretania, and faced with the exhaustion of the riches of Betica (certainly also for fear of the Goths, their hereditary enemies, increasingly more powerful and enterprising), he regroups his army and his people, whom he carefully counts for the needs of the crossing of the strait, and thus bringing together about 80,000 individuals including 15,000 to 20,000 warriors, according to contemporary sources (Victor de Vita).
The "army" thus formed crossed the Strait of Gibraltar in the spring of 429 and entered present-day Algeria, reaching Hippone (Bône:Annaba) in May or June 430. The city fell following a long siege in 431, during which the famous bishop, Saint Augustine died.
The Romans recognize the establishment of the Vandals in eastern Algeria and Tunisia, and try to appease them by signing a treaty with them (foedus), in 435. Nevertheless, the Vandals resume their progress along the coast, to take Carthage without great resistance, October 19, 439.
The Vandal Kingdom of Africa (429-533)
From 429 to 439, the Vandals conquered part of the territories located on the North African coast, and established themselves permanently in eastern Algeria and Tunisia. They compel Rome to establish a treaty (fœdus) with them twice (in 435 and 442), and constitute an original Vandal kingdom of Africa, sometimes called "Kingdom of Carthage", named after the rich Roman capital of Africa they take in 439.
The Kingdom disappears following an intervention by the Byzantine army which enslaves most of the survivors.