Fritigern definition of Fritigern in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Fritigern (frĭt`ĭgûrn), d. 380, Visigothic chieftain. An intermittent rival of Athanaric Athanaric (əthăn`ərĭk), d. 381, Visigothic chieftain.
..... Click the link for more information. for leadership of the Visigoths Visigoths (West Goths), division of the Goths, one of the most important groups of Germans . Having settled in the region W of the Black Sea in the 3d cent. A.D., the Goths soon split into two divisions, the Ostrogoths and the Visigoths.
..... Click the link for more information. , he adopted Arian Christianity (see Arianism Arianism (âr`ēənĭz'əm), Christian heresy founded by Arius in the 4th cent.
..... Click the link for more information. ) and thus gained the support of Emperor Valens Valens (vä`lənz), c.328–378, Roman emperor of the East (364–78).
..... Click the link for more information. . Fleeing the invading Huns, Fritigern was given permission (376) by Valens to cross the Danube and enter Roman territory. After being badly mistreated, the Goths rebelled and in 378 Fritigern defeated and killed Valens at the battle of Adrianople. The Goths subsequently ravaged the Balkan Peninsula until the Roman general Theodosius (later Theodosius I Theodosius I or Theodosius the Great, 346?–395, Roman emperor of the East (379–95) and emperor of the West (394–95), son of Theodosius , the general of Valentinian I.
..... Click the link for more information. ) restored peace. Fritigern is also known as Fridigern.