378—The Huns appeared in Europe, having wandered from the borders of China, and defeated Valens with dreadful slaughter. Valens himself was among the slain. This was the commencement of the great migrations that finally overwhelmed the Roman Empire of the west. 379—Gratian, left sole emperor, appointed Theodosius, called The Great, his colleague, who subdued the Goths, repelled the Huns, and restored order. 383—Gratian was murdered by the usurper Maximus. 388—Theodosius conquered and put Maximus to death and restored Valentinian II., brother of Gratian, to the throne of the western empire. In a few years the whole 394—empire was reunited by the death of Valentinian. Theodosius soon died, universally lamented, leaving the two empires to his sons, Honorius and Arcadius. 402—Alaric, the Goth, invaded Italy and, though defeated, endangered the safety of Rome. 408—Theodosius II. succeeded to the empire of the east. 410—Alaric again invaded Italy and sacked Rome. Alaric soon after died and his forces were persuaded, by negotiations, to leave Italy, but they permanently established themselves in Spain and Southern Gaul (France). Thus the empire began to fall to pieces. 425—Honorius died and Valentinian III. became emperor. 429—The Vandals soon conquered the Roman provinces in Africa, under their king, Genseric. They extended 440—their conquests to Sicily. 447—Attila, called the “Scourge of God,” appeared at the head of the Huns, and Theodosius made a humiliating treaty with him to save his dominions from desolation. 448—In the next year the Saxons and Angles were invited into Britain by the civilized Romans, to protect them from the Picts and Scots, and laid the foundation of the modern Anglo-Saxon race, and the Franks invaded Gaul laying the foundations of the modern kingdom of France. England received its name from the Angles—France from the Franks. 451—Attila, the Hun, invaded Gaul, and was defeated at 452—Chalons, by the united Romans and Visigoths. Attila then invaded Italy and laid it waste, but died before he 454—had completed the ruin of the empire. Valentinian III. was murdered, and the Vandals from Sicily invaded Italy and sacked Rome. SECTION XIII. THE RISE OF MODERN NATIONS. 476—After a succession of puppet emperors in Rome, Odoacer abolished the name and took the title of king of Italy. He was a German in command of the auxiliaries in Roman pay. Thus ended, in disaster and disgrace, the once mighty Roman Empire. Its ruin was gradual and the barbarians who overthrew it had already embraced Christianity, so that the institutions of the church did not share its fall.