Ancient history

What happened to the territories of roman empire when it collapsed?

The collapse of the Roman Empire led to the fragmentation and division of its vast territories into various successor states, kingdoms, and principalities. Several factors contributed to the fall of the empire, including administrative and political instability, economic decline, military pressures from external forces, and the widespread spread of Christianity. Here's what happened to the different territories of the Roman Empire after its collapse:

1. Western Europe:

- The Western Roman Empire officially fell in 476 AD when Odoacer, a Germanic chieftain, deposed the last Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus.

- The territory of the Western Empire was divided among various Germanic tribes and kingdoms, including the Visigothic Kingdom in Spain and Southern France, the Ostrogothic Kingdom in Italy, the Vandal Kingdom in North Africa, and the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in Britain.

2. Eastern Europe:

- The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, continued to exist for another thousand years after the fall of the West.

- The Byzantine Empire maintained control over much of southeastern Europe, including Greece, the Balkans, and parts of modern Turkey.

- The Byzantines faced challenges from invasions and migrations of Slavic peoples, as well as conflicts with the Sasanian Empire in the east.

3. North Africa:

- The Vandal Kingdom in North Africa was established by the Germanic Vandals in the 5th century.

- The Vandals controlled much of the region, including the province of Africa (present-day Tunisia) and parts of Algeria and Libya.

- In 533 AD, the Byzantine general Belisarius conquered the Vandal Kingdom and restored Roman rule in North Africa.

4. Middle East:

- The eastern provinces of the Roman Empire in the Middle East were initially occupied by the Sasanian Empire of Persia.

- After the rise of Islam in the 7th century, the Arab Muslim forces conquered much of the Middle East, including the former Roman provinces of Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and North Africa.

5. Britain:

- The Roman province of Britannia (Britain) was abandoned by the Roman legions in the early 5th century due to the pressing need to defend the empire's borders elsewhere.

- Various Germanic tribes, including the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, migrated to Britain and established small kingdoms, leading to the emergence of Anglo-Saxon England.

6. Gaul (France):

- The Visigothic Kingdom controlled much of southern Gaul, while the Franks, another Germanic tribe, established their kingdom in Northern Gaul.

- The Visigothic Kingdom was eventually conquered by the Franks, and Gaul became a center of the Frankish Empire.

It's important to note that the exact boundaries and political entities that emerged after the collapse of the Roman Empire were fluid and constantly shifting due to conflicts, migrations, and power struggles among various groups and kingdoms.