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Though merely a reiks, Alaric I had proven himself to be a capable ruler well before the Kingdom of Toulouse was established. Possibly his greatest achievement was the sack of Rome in 410. It was the first time a foreign invader had captured the city in approximately 800 years. However, the sack itself wasn’t as devastating as many other sieges that came before or after it. The Gothic armies merely burned a few buildings and plundered them for riches. The Roman citizens themselves were spared any inhumane acts. In addition, the basilicas of St. Peter and Paul were nominated as sacred places not to be disturbed (other than plundering).
Sadly, Alaric would meet his end the very same year he sacked Rome. While he was in Calabria in the south of Italy, Alaric wanted to invade Africa. However, most of his ships were battered during a storm while he sailed south with his troops. The reiks himself died in Cosenza, more than likely from a fever.
Alaric’s name became legendary, so much so that a few rulers were either named after him or had a name that was some variation of his.
