Aegidius (12 October 424-26 September 468) was King of the Domain of Soissons from 457 to 468, preceding Syagrius.
Biography[]
Syagrius Aegidius was born in Roman Gaul, Western Roman Empire on 12 October 424, and he served under Flavius Aetius in the Roman Army alongside Majorian. He and Majorian became allies of the powerful Germanic magister militum Ricimer, and Aegidius was made magister militum of Gallia in 458. He defeated Theodoric II's Visigoths at the Battle of Arelate that same year, and he forced Theodoric to return his conquered lands in Hispania to Rome and return to being a Western Roman vassal. After Ricimer murdered Majorian in 461 and replaced him with Libius Severus, Aegidius refused to recognize the new emperor, and he swore allegiance to Emperor Leo the Thracian, thus retaining the loyalty of his legions and justifying his split from the Western Empire. Pressured by the Visigoths to the south and the Germans to the east, he failed to carry through with his threat to invade Italia. Aegidius founded the Domain of Soissons, and he reconquered Lyon from the Burgundii in 458, routed the Visigoths at the 463 Battle of Orleans, and allied with the Franks to bolster his forces. He died in 468 at the age of 44 and was succeeded as King by his son Syagrius.