Huneric
Life
The source location to life Huneric is very poor and only a few data can be relatively safe determine. The most important source is Victor of Vita, whose representation due Huneric religious policy, however, is not always objective.
For birth year Huneric to 420 there is only one source that suggests that he was born in Spain, even before the Vandal transition to Africa 429. He was 435 or 442 a hostage of the Western Roman court. 442 he was ( 439-466/474 ) engaged with the first three years of Princess Eudocia, the daughter of Emperor Valentinian III. ( 419-455 ). Before Huneric was engaged or married, suggesting an even earlier date of birth Huneric already with the daughter of the Visigoth Theodoric I.. His father, however, Genseric broke the connection and sent the bride mutilated Theodoric back because they allegedly tried to poison him. Probably wanted Genseric with the emperor's daughter Eudocia a better match for his son and a connection to influential relationship.
After the sack of Rome in 455 abducted by the Vandals Genseric the Dowager Empress Licinia Eudoxia ( 422-462 ) with her daughters Eudocia and Placidia to Africa. Eudoxia was said they have called Genseric in revenge; this rumor came but already in the sources to considerable skepticism, and is not credible. One reason for the visit to Rome of Genseric was probably the repatriation Princess Eudokias, the fiancée of his son to finally redeem the promise of marriage - because she was already 16 years old. From 455/456 they were married. They had a son Hilderic ( 455/460-533 ), who was 523-530 King of the Vandals. Eudocia was 464 or 472 to Jerusalem, supposedly on the run from her husband Arian, where she died in 466 or 474.
The background of the persecution was probably less religious fanaticism, rather Huneric was probably guided by real political motives. The still strong ties to the Catholic Church of North Africa to the Roman emperor and the associated idea of the Roman Empire, which was a threat to the legitimacy of the Vandal kingdom, should be probably cut off by the persecution. This fits that Huneric initially strove to an understanding and also the filling vacant seats Catholic bishop allowed. Victor of Vita also reports of religious discussions between Catholics and Arians, einbestellte the Huneric for 1 February 484 to Carthage. One of the invited bishops was Vigilius of Thapsus, of which some theological polemics come. After the failure of the talks Huneric issued on 7 and 25 February 484 edicts to persecute the Catholics who closely emulated the heretics to the imperial legislation.
At the same time Huneric presented in the Vandal kingdom as the successor of the Roman emperors, such as by issuing laws that closely adhered to the Roman idols, or the port city Hadrumetum renamed Uniricopolis.
On December 23, 484 Huneric died. He was succeeded by his nephew Gunthamund, the son of his younger brother Gento.