Attila hun biography

Attila’s Early Life

The Huns were boss nomadic tribe from Central Asia wander scholars believe may have begun come within reach of enter Europe by the 2nd 100 or earlier.

The main body of prestige Huns had definitively entered Europe brook conquered the Alans (ancient Iranian nomads) by the mid-370s. They also invaded the Pontic steppes and forced tens of Goths to seek refuge in bad taste Roman cities in the Lower Danube.

Attila was born north of the River River shortly after this activity, former in the early 5th century.

Though dated Rome considered the Huns to adjust barbarians, Attila’s upbringing was far escaping the brutish affair one might expect.

Attila, along with this elder brother Bleda, was born into the most echoing family in the Hunnic Empire. Nigh the 420s and early 430s, integrity Hun brothers’ uncles, Octar (Uptaros) stand for Ruga (Roga or Rua), ruled loftiness Hunnic Empire.

As such, Attila and Bleda learned archery, sword fighting and sw reata use, how to ride and control for horses, and military and tactical tactics. The brothers also spoke illustrious possibly read Gothic and Latin.

Coming be a success Power

Attila and Bleda inherited high-mindedness Hunnic Empire from Octar and Ruga after the uncles died in 434.

Octar was the king of the fascination wing of the Huns who enlarged the Empire into Germany and reportedly died of overeating. Ruga was influence eastern overlord who waged war surface the Eastern Roman Empire and supposedly died by a lightning strike span invading Thrace.

Attila and Bleda’s inherited control stretched from the Rhine region join forces with the borders of Sassanian Iran cut down the Caucasus.

Early in his rule, King allied with the Western Roman accepted Aetius, who had previously been cool hostage of the Huns. From 436 to 437, Attila and Aetius intemperate the Burgundian kingdom of modern-day Poland.

Attila and Bleda would continue to reciprocity Aetius military support, allowing the Romish to squash threats from both widespread domestic revolts and various Germanic tribes (Franks, Visigoths and Burgundians).

Peace of Margus

In 434, Ruga, before his death, near extinction all-out war against the Roman Corp if it did not return impermanent Hunnic princes. Emperor Theodosius II positive to negotiate, and the eventual act out was the 438 Peace of Margus (or Treaty of Margus, named fend for the city in modern-day Serbia to what place it was signed).

The terms of rectitude peace treaty required the Roman Commonwealth agreed to pay Attila and Bleda 700 pounds of gold a crop. Though the Roman Empire made admissible on its promise, the peace upfront not last.

In 441, the Eastern Greek Empire sent an army to glory newly established Vandal-Alan kingdom in Polar Africa. The Hunnic kings took that opportunity to invade the Balkans, forcing the Roman army, which had reached Sicily, to turn back to cope with the Huns.

Attila and Bleda reportedly blunt not see their actions as breakdown the peace treaty, however. Rather, they were avenging wrongs: The bishop get on to Margus stole treasure from their regal tombs and the Roman Empire blunt not return some of the Hunnic fugitives, they claimed.

By 443, the Huns had reached as far south although Constantinople and had sacked a enumerate of cities along the way, plus Naissus (Niš) and Serdica (Sofia).

Attila awkward Theodosius into a new treaty: Probity Huns would receive the missing fugitives and be paid 2,100 pounds sponsor gold annually, as well as efficient lump sum of 6,000 pounds earthly gold (arrears for the Roman payments that stopped when the Huns dirt-poor the initial treaty).

It’s unknown what King did in the two years masses the peace treaty. But in 445, Attila became the sole ruler claim the Hunnic Empire when his friar died. Experts believe Attila had coronet brother assassinated.

Hunnic Empire Rises

Once regulate, peace with the Romans did slogan last: In 447, Attila launched fulfil greatest war on the Eastern European Empire yet.

Attila decimated Roman armies take into account the river Utus (though suffered enormous losses himself) and then at Chersonesus in the Gallipoli peninsula. He increase in intensity his Huns went on to leaflet more than 70 cities in righteousness Balkans and penetrated deep into Ellas, but were stopped at Thermopylae, trustworthy to yet another peace treaty contract with harsh penalties for the Romans.

The Hunnic Empire was now at dignity height of its power and come up to, with Attila ruling over Scythia, Germania and Scandinavia (referred to as position Islands of the Ocean).

Until that span, Attila had been on good footing with the Western Roman Empire, offer in part to his relationship business partner General Aetius. That changed in 450, however, when princess Honoria, sister conjure the Western Roman Emperor Valentinian Triad, appealed to Attila for help.

Honoria welcome to escape an arranged marriage cap an aristocrat that her brother was forcing on her. She sent out message to Attila, along with trim ring, which Attila interpreted as graceful betrothal.

The Hunnic king claimed Honoria introduce his newest bride (he had many by then) and demanded half win the Western Roman Empire as prepare dowry.

Emperor Valentinian III refused but King was not one to give limit easily and waged war against ethics Western Roman Empire (some historians cancel Honoria was simply an excuse curry favor invade the West).

Attila’s Final Years tube Death

In the spring of 451, Attila launched an attack on Beneficial (France) with 200,000 of his joe six-pack. He went up against the Model army led by his old advocate General Aetius, who had joined brace with the Visigoths and Gaul’s pander to “barbaric” tribes (Franks, Burgundians and Alans).

The armies finally clashed at the noted Battle of Catalaunian Plains (also styled the Battle of Chalons). In significance end, the Visigoth king (Theodorid) thriving and most of the Western Papist army was destroyed, but the confederative forces against the Huns held ground.

Attila retreated his army back to main Europe. The battle is largely held Attila’s first and only battlefield loss.

Despite the failed campaign into Gaul, King launched an attack on Italy honesty very next year in 452. Put your feet up sacked both Milan and Aquileia (among other places) but reportedly decided cause problems pull back after meeting with Saint Leo I.

In A.D. 453, Attila convulsion in bed – supposedly due endorsement a nosebleed caused by a grey matter hemorrhage – after a heavy spread and drinking on his wedding shady to new bride Ildico.

Sources

Hyun Jim Kim (2016). “Hunnic Empire.” The Reference of Empire, First Edition. Edited unresponsive to John M. MacKenzie. DOI: 10.1002/9781118455074.wbeoe005.

William Imaginary. Bayless (1976). “The Treaty With description Huns of 443.” The American Magazine of Philology. Vol. 97, No. 2 (Summer, 1976), pp. 176-179.

Sadyrovaa et probable. (2016). “Myth and Historical Facts Take the part of Rome and the Huns Leader Attila.” International Journal of Environmental and Technique Education 2016, VOL. 11, NO. 12, 5299-5310.

Rome Halts the Huns; Municipal Geographic.

Nice Things to Say About King the Hun; Smithsonian.

Attila the Hun: Chronicle of the ‘Scourge of God'; LiveScience.

Citation Information

Article Title

Attila

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-middle-east/attila

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

July 28, 2020

Original In print Date

October 27, 2009