Honorius married, in turn, both of his regent Stilicho’s daughters, Maria and Aemilia Materna Thermania. Two years prior to his father’s death, Honorius proclaimed himself co-emperor with his father. Honorius along with his older brother, Arcadius (377/378–408), would rule the Roman Empire after Theodosius I's death in 395. Stilicho, adviser to Theodosius I, claimed that before dying the emperor named him protector of Honorius and Arcadius.
Between 394 and 408, Stilicho served Honorius as master of soldiers and regent. But Stilicho had enemies within the empire who used his ungainly barbaric ties, his seemingly ambitious drive into the eastern Empire, his alliance with Alaric, and the usurpation of Constantine III, to convince Honorius to execute him. So on August 22, 408, Honorius had Stilicho, his regent and father-in-law, beheaded.
This was one of Honorius' many disastrous political moves. Stilicho was a positive link to and formidable shield against Alaric the Goth. With Stilicho dead, Alaric was in a better position to make demands of and lay siege against Rome, which he did when Honorius failed to pay for services. This ultimately led to Alaric’s sacking of Rome in 410. Two years later, Honorius’ half-sister, Placidia, was forced to marry the barbarian Athaulf who led the Visigoths to Gaul. Chaos followed, partly due to the previous crossing of the Rhine by the Vandals and others who occupied Spain and partly due to Constantine III’s usurpation, which led to the loss of Roman control over Britain.
Honorius suffered a dwindling rule before dying childless on August 25, 423 of natural causes while at Ravenna.
Sources: Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome and The Oxford Classical Dictionary.
