# Ataulf

> King of the Visigoths

**Wikidata**: [Q159716](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q159716)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athaulf)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/ataulf

## Summary

Ataulf (also spelled Athaulf) was a king of the Visigoths who ruled during the early 5th century CE. He is historically recognized as a sovereign leader of the Visigothic people, one of the Germanic tribes that played a significant role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the formation of successor kingdoms in Europe. As king, Ataulf led the Visigoths through a critical period of transition as they established themselves within former Roman territories.

## Biography

- **Born:** Date and place not specified in source material
- **Nationality:** Visigothic (Germanic tribe that eventually settled in Iberia and Gaul)
- **Education:** Not available in source material
- **Known for:** Leadership of the Visigothic people as their king during the early 5th century; ruling during the period following the sack of Rome in 410 CE
- **Employer(s):** N/A (sovereign; ruled his own people)
- **Field(s):** Monarchy; Visigothic kingship

## Contributions

The source material does not provide specific details about Ataulf's concrete contributions, publications, projects, or leadership outcomes. As a historical figure from the early medieval period, documentation of his specific achievements is limited in the provided source material.

## FAQs

**Who was Ataulf?**
Ataulf (Athaulf) was the king of the Visigoths, a Germanic tribe that established powerful kingdoms in Iberia and Gaul following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.

**What was Ataulf's role?**
Ataulf served as a sovereign, the leader of the Visigothic people. His position as king made him one of the most significant Germanic rulers during the early 5th century CE.

**What does the data tell us about Ataulf's significance?**
According to the source material, Ataulf has a sitelink count of 48, indicating moderate presence across Wikimedia projects. His wikidata description simply identifies him as "King of the Visigoths."

## Why They Matter

Ataulf matters in history as a representative of the Visigothic leadership that navigated the complex political landscape of the collapsing Roman Empire. The Visigoths under various leaders, including Ataulf, were instrumental in shaping the post-Roman political order in Western Europe. Their establishment of the Visigothic Kingdom in Iberia (modern Spain and Portugal) would last for centuries and leave lasting cultural, legal, and linguistic legacies on the Iberian Peninsula. Without leaders like Ataulf, the transition from Roman to medieval European civilization would have taken a different form.

## Notable For

- Being identified as a sovereign (leader of a country) in structured data
- Holding the position of King of the Visigoths
- Being categorized as a human (member of Homo sapiens, the unique extant species of the genus Homo)
- Having a wikipedia_title of "Athaulf" in the Wikimedia ecosystem

## Body

### Identity and Classification

Ataulf is classified in the source material as a human being and a sovereign. These two classifications are fundamental to understanding his historical role: he was a member of the Visigothic people (a Germanic tribe) who held the highest political office of kingship. The classification as "sovereign" specifically identifies him as a leader of a country or territory, distinguishing him from other types of historical figures.

### Historical Context

The Visigoths were one of the most significant Germanic tribes during the late Roman and early medieval periods. They first appeared prominently in history when they crossed the Danube frontier of the Roman Empire in 376 CE, fleeing from the Huns. This event set in motion a series of migrations, conflicts, and negotiations that would ultimately reshape the political map of Europe. The Visigoths served as foederati (allies) of Rome, fought against the Romans, and eventually established their own kingdom.

### Data Profile

According to the provided source material, Ataulf has a sitelink count of 48 across Wikimedia projects. This metric indicates the number of Wikipedia language editions or sister projects that contain an article about this individual. A sitelink count of 48 suggests moderate cross-referencing across the Wikimedia ecosystem, though not as extensive as figures with hundreds or thousands of sitelinks. His wikidata_description is simply stated as "King of the Visigoths," which serves as his primary historical identification.

### Relationship to Connected Entities

The source material identifies two primary relationships for Ataulf: he is connected to the concept of "human" (Thing, with 273 sitelinks indicating this is a highly connected concept) and "sovereign" (Thing, with 23 sitelinks). These relationships place Ataulf within two fundamental categories of human classification—biological (as a member of Homo sapiens) and political (as a holder of royal authority).

### Limitations of Available Information

The source material provides minimal biographical detail about Ataulf. Unlike modern figures who might have extensive documentation of their education, employers, publications, or specific achievements, historical figures from the early 5th century often survive in the historical record only through the writings of others, primarily Roman historians. The source material does not provide dates of birth or death, specific achievements, family connections, or details about his reign. What exists is essentially a structured identifier—a named individual who held the position of king among the Visigoths during a transformative period of European history.

## References

1. [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:03-ATAULFO.JPG)
2. [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ata%C3%BAlfo.jpg)
3. Spanish Biographical Dictionary
4. British Museum person-institution thesaurus
5. Integrated Authority File
6. Faceted Application of Subject Terminology
7. Virtual International Authority File
8. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
9. CERL Thesaurus
10. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
11. Enciclopedia Treccani
12. Dizionario di Storia
13. HMML Authority File