6th century – 6th century
North Africa
The Byzantine reconquest of North Africa was the campaign through which Belisarius destroyed the Vandal Kingdom and restored imperial authority over the region. The conquest was presented as a relief effort for North African Catholics and was followed by the 535 edict restoring Catholicism to an officially unchallenged position. Byzantine control remained incomplete, however, because Berber kingdoms and nomadic groups retained or recovered large inland territories.
Continue exploring
The Story
By the early sixth century, Vandal authority had been weakened by the rise of independent Berber kingdoms in the mountains and interior plains. Hilderic’s Catholic sympathies briefly enabled the return of exiled bishops and the revival of church councils, but his deposition in 530 placed Gelimer on the throne. The new regime could not prevent the Byzantine intervention that followed.
Belisarius landed in North Africa in 533 with an expedition sanctioned by Justinian. The campaign destroyed the Vandal kingdom and ended the Germanic Arian religious order that had dominated North Africa for approximately a century. Catholic communities welcomed the Byzantine victory because it offered the prospect of restoring religious unity under Catholic authority.
On 1 August 535, an imperial edict restored Catholicism to a position of unchallenged authority. The political inheritance was nevertheless impoverished and contested. Byzantine armies recovered coastal and provincial areas, but Berber kingdoms remained beyond imperial control, while nomadic raids continued to threaten the settled population and undermine urban life.
6th century – 6th century
North Africa
The Byzantine reconquest of North Africa was the campaign through which Belisarius destroyed the Vandal Kingdom and restored imperial authority over the region. The conquest was presented as a relief effort for North African Catholics and was followed by the 535 edict restoring Catholicism to an officially unchallenged position. Byzantine control remained incomplete, however, because Berber kingdoms and nomadic groups retained or recovered large inland territories.
Continue exploring
The Story
By the early sixth century, Vandal authority had been weakened by the rise of independent Berber kingdoms in the mountains and interior plains. Hilderic’s Catholic sympathies briefly enabled the return of exiled bishops and the revival of church councils, but his deposition in 530 placed Gelimer on the throne. The new regime could not prevent the Byzantine intervention that followed.
Belisarius landed in North Africa in 533 with an expedition sanctioned by Justinian. The campaign destroyed the Vandal kingdom and ended the Germanic Arian religious order that had dominated North Africa for approximately a century. Catholic communities welcomed the Byzantine victory because it offered the prospect of restoring religious unity under Catholic authority.
On 1 August 535, an imperial edict restored Catholicism to a position of unchallenged authority. The political inheritance was nevertheless impoverished and contested. Byzantine armies recovered coastal and provincial areas, but Berber kingdoms remained beyond imperial control, while nomadic raids continued to threaten the settled population and undermine urban life.
Continue the journey
Other paths related to this story.