The Vandals' religious policies aren't winning them a lot of friends. I'm guessing that Justinian and his ilk are butterflied away but that doesn't mean that the Vandals will be safe from being destroyed. I'd wager one of the Romano-Berber warlord ends up conquering Carthage and tries to re-establish a Carthaginian hegemony of sorts in North Africa.

OR....

Odoacer is gone but is the issue of providing barbarian soldiers with land in Italy resolved? I think not. Maybe Emperor Nepos decides to make an attempt at reconquering Africa.
Oh yes, they won't last much longer, because Huneric persecution policies are ruder ITTL rather than IOTL. But the Vandals would have a "different end". The next chapter will describe more about Italy with Nepos on the throne.
 
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I doubt much has changed in Britain so far, still, the timelines getting close to the time of the Arthurian legends. The Western Roman Empire seems to be in better shape than OTL at this point.
I have some plans for the Isles, which I will cover in these days.
 
while King Jangsu of Goguryeo achieved the conquest of Baekje and destroyed its capital (Ungjin)
Damn a united Korea under Gorguyeo? Hell yeah! And Jangsu better destroy Silla while he is at it, given that they conquered Korea in real history and defeated Gorguyeo and Baekje after Jangsu's death.
 
Chapter 8. Renascentia
Renascentia

Early in May 481, Nepos launched a campaign to reconquer Sardinia and Corsica (he mainly sent barbarian soldiers to the battle). The Roman fleet arrived at Aleria, where its inhabitants surrendered with almost no resistance because the Catholic population was tired of the rude Vandalic religious policies. The whole island was captured as a result. Emperor Nepos moved more troops from Sicily to Sardinia and the Baleares, which were reannexed some weeks later. Western Rome almost conquered Carthage, but Huneric was able to stop them.
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Julius Nepos, "the Restorer"

This was the beginning of a decline period for the Vandal Kingdom. In 482, the Christian Berber Regnum Aurasium was formed, despite Huneric attempts to suppress local rebellions over the Aures mountain range. Additionally, by the east, Mauro-Romans attacked Caesarea Mauretaneae and Icosium but could not conquer these cities. Also, the Vandals sent an expedition to recover west Tripolitania from the Garamantes, but it ended in a decisive Berber victory.

Huneric ordered the execution of more Catholics and Manichaeans who refused to convert to Arianism until he died in 483 due to an infection, and Gunthamund succeeded him. The new king's rule was more peaceful because he lifted the religious persecution and allowed Nicene Christians to elect bishops in the cities. It seems that better times for the Vandals started again, and stability was recovered (for now). In 486, he stopped an incursion from southern Berbers and sacked Altava (the capital of the Mauro-Roman Kingdom). Gunthamund rule was relatively successful after these events, which lasted until 490 when he died.

Thrasamund succeeded to the throne. He continued religious tolerance within the Kingdom and forged good diplomacy with the Romans. His reign was also brilliant, but it didn't last long because serious injuries took him when fighting to recover Tripolitania in April of 492. In consequence, Hilderic (son of Huneric) inherited the throne. The new king not only endured tolerance policies, but he even converted to Chalcedionian Christianity to the alarm of the Vandal-Alan nobility. Tensions arose again. Hilderic was overthrown by the nobles, so he fled to Rome to ask for support.

The Vandal Kingdom was divided into two parties and plunged into chaos again: supporters of Hilderic, who wanted Chalcedonianism as the official state religion, and the Arian nobility. Nepos took advantage of this and sent another expedition. Western Rome allied with the dethroned monarch, and they captured Utica, Hadrumentum, Hippo Regius, and Thysdrus. However, Hilderic was killed by an Arian Vandal noble in battle. This allowed the Western Empire to reseize Africa Proconsularis, Byzacena, and Numidia. Finally, Carthage surrendered; the Arian population was killed or expelled. In the meantime, Mauro-Romans conquered Caesaria and Icosium, including all of the former Mauretania Sitifensis Province. Although West and East Romans strengthened, there were still threats. The migration Period was far from to end; Germans and other tribes were around, searching for more lands to settle or ransack...

 
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Chapter 9. Tales from the East
Tales from the East

Continuous wars between tribes dwelling in Central Asia pushed out some of them (repeatedly). Tiele [1] clans of over 80,000 yurts led by Afuzhiluo moved westwards after the Rourans destroyed their kingdom in 491. The Gaoche tried to settle within Hephthalites' lands as vassals but were banished by the latter. Throughout the exile, contingents of Yueban, Iranians, and some Magyars joined them.​
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The Tiele, led by Afuzhiluo.
Over the summer of 496, this confederacy settled along Northern Caucasus and Caspian sea shore; Utrigurs and Kutrigurs fled to the Hunnic Empire after being subdued by the Tiele. However, the newcomers were under constant attacks from the powerful Avars. So, Afuzhiluo and his people fled more to the West, searching for better lands to settle in, and the tribal Confederation put their eyes on the prosperous Danube Basin...

Early in 502, the Tiele Turks advanced swiftly, taking the coast between Pontic Olbia and Tyras. Djurash 'Masgut' (son of Ernak and the new King of the Huns) dispatched over 25,000 troops to stop the invaders. The Huns effectively expelled the Gaoju confederation despite the numerical disadvantage, and Afuzhiluo had no more option but to migrate south.
Hunnic King.jpg

Djurash 'Masgut', son of Ernak. Rex Hunnorum et Alanorum

The same year, peace between Eastern Rome and Sassanian Empire was broken after the Persian King Kavad I occupied Theodosiopolis and Martyropolis. Afuzhiluo took advantage of this and captured Roman Lesser Scythia. Byzantine Emperor Anastasius I sent an expedition against the Tiele, which ended disastrously. This campaign occurred in Abritus, where the massive Tiele forces inflicted heavy losses on Roman troops and destroyed the city. That victory was crucial for the nomads because it allowed them to conquer the lands north of Haemus Mons. The Tiele founded their state, known simply as "Regnum Scythorum" (Kingdom of the Scythians) [2]. Also, Anastasius had to sign a truce with them while fighting the Persians.

In 503, Kavad captured most of Roman Osrhoene. But now, Anastasius put his attention back to the East and dispatched 53,000 men to reconquer this land. Byzantines won solid victories and restored control over most important regional cities, except Rhesaenae. The Persians launched another invasion and conquered Amida. As if all of that were not enough, they plundered Edessa, Callinicum, and Palmyra. Kavad was on his way to reoccupy Osrhoene Eastern Syria, but Anastasian forces successfully stopped him, and Sassanians retreated to Nisibis.

In the next year, Anastasius attacked the debilitated Persian forces- The Romans now occupied Nisibis and Singara. In 505, the Hephthalites launched raids over Parthaunisa, Gurgan, and Nishapur, and Caucasian Albania revolted. Kavad had to agree on a peace treaty with Eastern Rome. Territorial borders remained status quo ante bellum, and Persians did not ask for an annual tribute.

Meanwhile, Christianity expanded within the Hephthalite realm, as its King welcomed missions sent from the Metropolitanate of Merv. In the Far East, Jangsu finally conquered Silla and destroyed its capital (Seorabeol) in June 490, and he achieved the unification of the Korean Peninsula. After Jangsu died in 491, Munjamyeong succeeded him on the throne.

[1] Tribal Turkic Confederation, also known as Gaoche or Gaoju. Their homeland was Northern China, Dzungaria, and the Altai Mountains.
[2] In Late Antiquity, "Scythian" was used by Romans for later nomadic tribes living in the Pontic Steppe that did not have any relation with the original Iranian Scythians.

 
Chapter 10
From Tribal Chiefs to Emperors, by Johannes Langobardus (900 CE).

In the British Isles, Drest II started expansion policies. In 500 AD, the Picts invaded and wiped out the Dal Riata Kingdom. Drest ordered the destruction of his enemy's capital (Dunadd), which was never repopulated; after six years, Drest conquered Din Eidyn, Lleuddiniawn, and Manaw Gododdin. The Pictish King declared Christianity the official religion, allowing Britonic missions to convert the population. Soon after this, many churches were built, especially in Fortriu, Circinn, Fotla, and Fib. Despite the attacks on the Brythonic Kingdoms, Drest II joined a crucial alliance with Ystrad Clut to reduce Irish piracy on the Western coast.

Meanwhile, the Bagaudae chieftains in Gaul merged, forming four powerful "Kingdoms": Arvernia, Sequania-Aulercia, Lemonum, and Biturigium. Early in 505, the Chieftains compiled their law codes which were written down in the Gallic language. At the same time, the Vascones started to occupy lands northwards and eastwards of their traditional borders, conquering most of the ancient Aquitani Lands. Also, Jute and Frisian raiders began to settle in Armorica, forcing some Britons to move southwards.
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Saxon settlement in Domnonia, Northern Armorica.

Bolgios Viriathus became Chief of the Cantabrians. In 505, most of the Suebi Kingdom fell under the Visigoths. The Astures and Gallaecians united with the Cantabri as they feared the Gothic expansion. In consequence, Bolgios' realm encompassed from the Minius River mouth to Autrigonia. While Alaric II was preparing to capture Gallaecia from Bolgios, the Vascones and Germanic dissidents launched several attacks over Visigothic lands, destroying vital cities such as Caesaraugusta, Osca, Turiasso, and Ilerda; in consequence, the King had to withdraw from Northern Lusitania to contest the Vascones.
AVvXsEiiZHSil0liNz2G_aTChePVUv_ifa_xUl0VyDp7QNhGqp3Bq3Gon6oLguTYgjTw0_3rLXMBZ_SUuPbp581Kmo7MuutHFGj36x7og0mGp1RWmP0glzx2yNV9SbsmZwvmB7xWyUWpx3J6NCmM_Q3_rg1wEIuFWDIGSHKak4v93LUklXinYJ79SmUkpDBP=w559-h693

Bolgios Viriathus, Rex Cantabrorum et Asturorum.

Extract from "Chronicles of Hispania" by Theodoric Burgondar.
"By the year of Our Lord 496, these brave and ruthless tribes known as the Vascones wreaked havoc in the noble cities. They allied with thousands of dissidents from Thuringia and Saxonia, whose homelands were brutally conquered by the Franks. Those pagans broke into the poorly defended Gothic-Vasconian border. The first objective was Caesaraugusta the Great; although it was not as rich as under the Roman period, the city still had a well-preserved infrastructure and some of its former glory. Caesaraugustans offered strong resistance against the invaders, but in May, the raiders entered the city and ransacked it.

The raiders had no mercy and killed all the inhabitants. Osca, Turiasso, and Ilerda suffered the same fate. Once prosperous cities now become wastelands full of ruins and rubble. Finally, the Visigoths could execute the Thuringian and Saxonian army leaders while pushing the Vascones back to their lands. When Alaric II arrived, his forces plundered Calagurris and Pompaelo, but the damage was done.

It took almost two decades to reconstruct and repopulate the area. The Reconquest of Africa, and the Frankish conquest of Alamannia, caused two new waves of Germanic immigration to Northeastern Hispania. The Visigoths invited Vandal, Alamannic, and Alannic nobles to settle and became governors or military officers who helped with the resurgence of the cities."
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Repopulation of Kaisarborg (Caesaraugusta).

In Western Rome, Nepos confiscated the barbaric soldiers' lands who died in battle against the Vandals. During the spring of 505, the Emperor banished the Ostrogoths of Theodoric the Amal, who tried to invade Northern Italy. The Peninsula continued its reconstruction from the wars, and cities began to reflourish. Unfortunately, Julius Nepos passed on due to tuberculosis. As he died childless, Rome had to appoint his successor. Later in the same year, Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius became the next Emperor of the West.​
 
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(Some) Hunnic Noble Families.
Attilid Dynasty (ruler)
Attila married Kreka.
1. Ellac (434–453)
2. Dengizich (? - 472)
3. Ernak (? - 494)
a. Djurash (born 457)

Karpëtai House

House of Daco-Thracian origin
Simonis Scoril (398 - 437) married Helena the Bessian
1. Paulus (420-461)
A. Vitalius Cotys (439-481)
B. Procopius (442-485)
a. Johannes Cotys (473)
1. Valerius Zyraxes (495)
C. Dapyx (453)
a. Lucius Decebalus (470)
b. Johannes (474)
2. Nestorius Blegissa (423-466)
3. Aurelia Zia (427-470) married Julius Orol
A. Drusus Seuthes (448- 498)
a. Drilgisa (472)

Asparahids

Alannic royal house
Asparah (462) married Rauxsna (462)
1. Scylas (481)
a. Jon Sangiban (499)

2.
Aripharnes (Deceased)
3. Shushandukht (483)
4. Mithridates (485)
 
Chapter 11.
Expansion & Innovations

Djurash decided it was time to expand the realm. In 508, the Huns conquered the Eastern Black Sea's coast. With the death of the local ruler, Douptonos, the Bosporan Kingdom submitted peacefully; this allowed the Alannic nobles (such as Asparah) to claim the throne. Over the next year, the Maeotians allied with the Hunnic Empire, and in the summer, the Huns invaded Northwestern Caucasus. In 511, the Zichians rebelled against Hunnic domination, but the revolt was suppressed. Christianization began among the natives with the foundation of the Arzbishopric of Zichia, but their ethnic religion was still deep-rooted.

While some free Alannic tribes joint the Hunnic Empire, the rest migrated westwards, merging with the Antes and the Venedi; this left a profound Iranian cultural influence over the aforesaid Slavic peoples. In 513, Christianity expanded to the north. Also, the local Antae Chief accepted the religion. He, his family, and almost 500 Slavs were baptized in Chernsahar [1]. In the meantime, Iranian peoples living within the Hunnic Realm began to settle the land between Pyretus and Dniester rivers; the Huns founded the city of Yazigçurt in 515.​
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Migration to the Pyretus Valley

At the same time, Djurash's health started to decline. Concerned about this, the King of the Huns declared his older son Tatra the next ruler; then his younger brothers (Grod and Mugel) would succeed him. Despite that, Djurash planned to conquer the Gaoju Turkic Confederation of Moesia. The days passed, and Djurash had a great fever; however, he arranged a surprise attack. Some kilometers before crossing the Danube, Djurash succumbed to his illness. His body was buried in the Cathedral of Saint Auxentius [2], founded in Qara-Saray.

In November of 516, Tatra became the next Rex Hunnorum et Alannorum; he continued his father's plans and crossed the Danube in the winter. Most of Northern Moesia and Lesser Scythia cities surrender without any bloodshed. Nevertheless, the Huns found the last resistance in Ilıqkürgüz, the capital of the Gaoche Turks [3]. The siege took more than three months, but Tatra could break down the city's gate in February and killed the Gaoche ruler, Baliyan, concluding the Hunnic conquest of the Tiele confederation.
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The Cathedral of Ilıqkürgüz was founded five years after the Hunnic Conquest, and built over
a Tengrist shrine.

The expansion to the East allowed the Huns to open new commercial routes. In 518, a Buddhist expedition led by Song Yun from Northern China arrived at the Hephthalite Kingdom, and the monks brought with them technologies such as papermaking, which is firmly arranged in Samarkand, Urgench, Balkh, and Bukhara. Soon papermaking spread across Persia, the rest of Central Asia, and even the Roman Empires; it was introduced in the Hunnic Empire in 523. Although paper started to replace parchment and wood as the principal writing surface, sometimes it didn't have the quality the original Chinese had.

In 520, the New Amber Route was established, connecting the Baltic Coast by way of the Vistula, Dniester, and Dnieper Rivers to the Black Sea, to arrive in Constantinople. An alternative route was along the Vistula, surrounding the Carpathians, reaching Qara-Saray, to end in the Danube River. Another crucial road started in the Hunnic capital, linking it with Atălsahar [4], and going to Italy and Raetia.

Notes
1. OTL Chernivitsi, Ukraine.
2. ITTL Auxentius of Bithynia was canonized in 503 and declared Patron Saint of the Huns.
3. OTL Tarnovo, Bulgaria.
4. IOTL it is Buda, Hungary.


 
I probably missed something but is the Hun's religion Christian or Orthodox Christian...?
ITTL, the Huns are Chalcedonian Christians.

OTL, In the late antiquity-early middle ages, the main doctrines were Chalcedonian Christianity (with the official support of Rome and Constantinople). and Arianism (considered a heresy by the Chalcedonians).
 
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Chapter 12. Broken into pieces
Broken into pieces

Chaos ruled over Gaul after the first revolts... this land is now broken in several Gallic chieftains, but also, some Saxons, Alamanni, and Thuringii who fled from the Frankish realm founded petty Kingdoms along the East, the Sequana River Basin, and the Armorican coast. Right after the Frankish expansion, Gibuld of Alamannia settled Lutecia, while King Baderic of the Thuringians made Aurelianorum his new capital. In contrast with his counterparts, Baderic converted and was baptized by Saint Solemnis of Autricum. Tensions arose between the native Christianized population and the pagan invaders among the Saxon and Alamanni Kingdoms.
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The Baptism of Baderic, King of the Thuringians in Aurelianorum.

The Great Chief of Arvernia: Leontius Segomaros, cemented his power over the ruins of the once-prosper Roman Gallia some decades after the death of Syagrius and his allies. In 502, the Bagaudae chiefdoms between the Liger and the Tarnis rivers joined the Arvernians; Leontius incorporated the Taifali, who were settled in the ancient Pictavi lands. He maintained the capital in Augustonemetun, which name reverted to Nemessos. Segomaros gained enough prestige to be declared Rex of Gallia Celtica. Despite this, that term was not used in the Late Roman province administration, and he did not have control of the northern cities of the Sequana River (for now).
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Leontius Segomaros, Rex of Gallia Celtica

The Celtic Rite of Chalcedonian Christianity from the Isles and Brittonic Armorica extended over the rest of Gaul, so Leontius Segomaros adopted it and convocated monks from the regions mentioned above, who dedicated to founding monasteries and holding councils. One of the most important of these religious events was the Council of Noviodunon of 504, where the tables for calculating the Easter of Victorius of Aquitaine were made official; most of the bishoprics and abbeys of this Rite accepted them, except some monasteries founded in the Isle of Mann.

In 509, Western Rome defeated the Ostrogoths of Theodoric the Amal, who were forced to migrate to Hispania. Consequently, the Goths were not more of a threat to the Romans. Nevertheless, this victory was expensive for the latter because, during this battle, the Burgundians of Sigismund could restore their independence. However, they were under constant Frankish raids. In the spring of the same year, from Tullum (Toul), Clovis I subjugated the cities of Langres, Divio, and Basilia; the Franks also sacked Geneva. Although the Burgundian Kingdom experienced more significant stability following Sigismund's conversion to the Chalcedonian faith, it was weakened by Clovis' assaults.

If this was not enough, in the cold winter of 513, the Saxons settled in Eastern Armorica [1] attempted to invade the Breton Kingdoms in the West, but Budic, King of Kernev, could stop them in the Battle of Namnetes. However, a second wave of Jutish and Frisian migration arrived and conquered the Kingdom of Domnonea. As a result, more Armorican Britons migrated to the rest of Gaul and into Northwestern Hispania. To the volatile general situation in Gaul, tribes from the far North are seeking lands and glory...


Notes:
[1] OTL Normandy.



 
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