The event in 476 that marks the conventional end of the Western Roman Empire is the deposition of the last Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus. He was overthrown by the Germanic chieftain Odoacer, who declared himself king of Italy. This deposition is often considered the symbolic end of Roman rule in the West, as it signified the collapse of a centralized authority that had governed for centuries. The fall of Rome led to the fragmentation of Western Europe into various kingdoms and eventually ushered in the Middle Ages, profoundly impacting European history and culture.