Theodoric I (13 May 397-10 August 451) was King of the Visigoths from 419 to 451, succeeding Wallia and preceding Thorismund.
Biography[]
Theodoric was born on 13 May 397, the son of King Alaric I of the Visigoths. In 418, he succeeded Wallia as King, and he completed the settlement of his people in Gallia Aquitania and Gallia Narbonensis and took advantage of the chaos following the Western Roman emperor Honorius' death to expand to the south. Flavius Aetius, aided by the Huns, defended Arelate (Arles) from the Goths, and the Visigoths were forced to conclude a treaty with the Romans, being given Gallic noblemen as hostages. In 436, he conquered Narbo Martius (Narbonne) while the Western Romans focused on fighting back the invading Franks, but Litorius and his Hunnic allies pushed the Goths back to Tolosa. Theodoric defeated and mortally wounded Litorius in the battle for the city, and Emperor Avitus was forced to recognize Visigothic sovereignty. In 449, he allied with the Suebi, former rivals of the Visigoths, and helped them take Ilerda (Lleida) in Hispania. Avitus convinced Theodoric to make peace with his former ally Aetius and fight against Attila the Hun's invading hordes. At the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains in 451, Theodoric was thrown from his horse and then trampled to death, but the Romans and Goths succeeded in defeating Attila and forcing him to retreat.