Arius and end of Vandal Kingdom

Ruins of Carthage
Tunis Minsitry of Tourism

The Christian kingdom of Vandals in North Africa was destroyed in a war largely because of Arius the Darnell.

The founder of the kingdom king Genseric (428-477) used his powers as the ruler to strengthen his church. For this he exiled and even executed Nicene bishops and priests and the state confiscated the property of many non-Arian nobles. The persecutions of other Christians came in waves and varied according to political circumstances, especially the relations with the superpower of the day, East Roman Empire. Both Nicene Christians and followers of the Berber Bishop of Carthage Donatus Magnus (d. 355) felt the pressure.

King Huneric (477-484), the son of Genseric, is remembered for his aggressive religious policies. During his time conversion of Arian Vandals to other Christian churches was strictly forbidden. Also king Thrasamund (496–523) is said to have been a religious fanatic but his pressure to strengthen the local Arian church did not include executions.


King Hilderic

Silver coin of Hilderic (525-30). 

(wikimedia)

Political and religious events came to critical point after the death of king Hilderic (460-533). He was at heart a Trinitarian Christian because of the deep influence of his mother Eudocia.

Relations with Constantinople improved greatly and king Hilderic became a personal friend of Emperor Justinian the Great. Instead of making life difficult to Nicene Christians the king supported them and allowed them to chose their own bishop in Carthage. Historian Procopius (500-565) from whom we learn about this man tells that Hilderic was of advanced age when crowned as king and let his nephew Hoamer take care of the military affairs of the state.


Arian revolt
We see that religion - question of who is Jesus Christ - was causing serious internal problems and theological matters led quickly to physical acts of violence with devastating consequences to the Vandal kingdom.

Wikipedia tells

After seven years on the throne, Hilderic fell victim to a revolt led by his cousin Gelimer, an Arian, who led the people in a religious rebellion. Gelimer then became King of the Vandals and Alans, and restored Arianism as the official religion of the kingdom. He imprisoned Hilderic, along with Hoamer and his brother Euagees but did not kill him.

Justinian protested Gelimer's actions, demanding that Gelimer return the kingdom to Hilderic. Gelimer sent away the envoys who brought him this message, blinding Hoamer and putting both Hilderic and Euagees under closer confinement, claiming that they had planned a coup against him.

When Justinian sent a second embassy protesting these developments, Hilderic replied, in effect, that Justinian had no authority to make these demands.

Angered at this response, Justinian quickly concluded his ongoing war with Persia and prepared an expedition against the Vandals in 533. Once Gelimer learned of the arrival of the Roman army, he had Hilderic murdered, along with Euagees and other supporters of Hilderic he had imprisoned.
wikipedia referring to the history of Procopius

The end
Bad mistake!

You do not treat someone like Justinian in such manner. And that was not the only mistake - it is as if God in turn blinded the usurper of power, Gelimer, who had blinded Hoamer in the prison: like an idiot he had send his main army to Sardinia even the army of Byzantium was approaching under the leadership of that military genius Belisarius (500-565).

Byzantine Emperor Justinian I declared war, with the stated intention of restoring Hilderic to the Vandal throne. While an expedition was en route, a large part of the Vandal army and navy was led by Tzazo, Gelimer's brother, to Sardinia to deal with a rebellion. As a result, the armies of the Eastern Empire commanded by Belisarius were able to land unopposed 10 miles (16 km) from Carthage.

Gelimer quickly assembled an army, and met Belisarius at the Battle of Ad Decimum; the Vandals were winning the battle until Gelimer's brother Ammatas and nephew Gibamund fell in battle. Gelimer then lost heart and fled. Belisarius quickly took Carthage while the surviving Vandals fought on.


On December 15, 533, Gelimer and Belisarius clashed again at the Battle of Tricamarum, some 20 miles (32 km) from Carthage. Again, the Vandals fought well but broke, this time when Gelimer's brother Tzazo fell in battle.

Belisarius quickly advanced to Hippo, second city of the Vandal Kingdom, and in 534 Gelimer surrendered to the Roman conqueror, ending the Kingdom of the Vandals.

wikipedia

There were many reasons to the collapse of the Vandal kingdom but Jesus Christ was the key - also in this case as He is today.

As for king Gelimer, he "was honourably treated and received large estates in Galatia. He was also offered the rank of a patrician but had to refuse it because he was not willing to change his Arian faith" (Catholic Encyclopedia)

As for the Vandals...

they disappear from the history as a nation, their name surviving in many languages because of their questionable fame after the Sack of Rome 455. And their name has survived in the honorary title of the King of Sweden from Gustav Vasa to Karl Gustaf!

The Vandal church disappears, as well, but the victory of Orthodoxy and Donatian church did not last for long as a new religion was rising in Arabian peninsula, a religion that would after about one hundred years largely wipe out Christianity from North Africa.