Attila The Hun Thesis
Attila, frequently referred to as Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 to his death in March 453. Attila was also the leader of the Hunnic Empire, a tribal confederation full of Huns, Ostrogoths, and Alans with many others, in the territory of Central and Eastern Europe. Attila, supposedly scared others by claiming to own the actual sword of Mars, the Roman god of war.
Born in Pannonia, a province of the Roman Empire which is now Hungary, Attila the Hun and his brother Bleda, were named co-rulers of the Huns in 434. After murdering his brother in 445, Attila became the 5th century king of the Hunnic Empire, and the one ruler of the Huns. Attila united the tribes of the Hun kingdom and was said to be a good ruler to his own people. But Attila was also an aggressive and ruthless leader. He expanded the rule of the Huns to include many Germanic tribes and attacked the Eastern Roman Empire in wars of extraction, devastating lands from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, and inspiring fear throughout the late Roman Empire. …show more content…
During his reign, he was the most feared enemies of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires.
He crossed the Danube twice and plundered the Balkans, but was unable to take Constantinople. His unsuccessful campaign in Persia was followed in 441 by an invasion of the Eastern Roman the Byzantine Empire, the success of which encouraged Attila to invade the West. He also attempted to conquer Roman Gaul which is modern France and crossing the Rhine in 451 and marching as far as Aurelianum before being defeated at the Battle of the Catalaunian
Plains.
In 434, Roman Emperor Theodosius II paid a tribute of essence, protection money to Attila, but Attila broke the peace treaty, destroying towns along the Danube river before moving into the empire's interior and obliterating Naissus and Serdica. In 441, Attila invaded the Balkans. When Theodosius begged for peace, Attila's tribute was tripled, but, in 447, he struck the empire again and negotiated yet another new treaty.
When the new Eastern Roman emperor, Marcian, and Western Roman Emperor Valentinian III, refused to pay tribute, Attila the Hun amassed an army of half a million men and invaded Gaul. He was defeated at Chalons in 451 by Aetius, who had banded together with the Visigoths.
Legend has it that St. Peter and St. Paul appeared to Attila, threatening to strike him dead if he did not settle with Pope Leo I. Attila died the following year, in 453, before he could try once again to take Italy.
Attila left behind a divided family. His appointed successor, his oldest son Ellac, fought with his other sons, Dengizich and Ernakh, over control of their father's empire, which was ultimately divided among them.
Among many memorable quotes, Attila the Hun is remembered for saying of his powerful reign, "There, where I have passed, the grass will never grow. He eventually invaded Italy, devastating the northern provinces, but he was unable to take Rome. He planned for further campaigns against the Romans but died in 453. After Attila's death his close adviser Ardaric of the Gepids led a Germanic revolt against the Hunnic rule, after which the Hunnic Empire quickly collapsed.
Born in Pannonia, a province of the Roman Empire which is now Hungary, Attila the Hun and his brother Bleda, were named co-rulers of the Huns in 434. After murdering his brother in 445, Attila became the 5th century king of the Hunnic Empire, and the one ruler of the Huns. Attila united the tribes of the Hun kingdom and was said to be a good ruler to his own people. But Attila was also an aggressive and ruthless leader. He expanded the rule of the Huns to include many Germanic tribes and attacked the Eastern Roman Empire in wars of extraction, devastating lands from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, and inspiring fear throughout the late Roman Empire. …show more content…
During his reign, he was the most feared enemies of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires.
He crossed the Danube twice and plundered the Balkans, but was unable to take Constantinople. His unsuccessful campaign in Persia was followed in 441 by an invasion of the Eastern Roman the Byzantine Empire, the success of which encouraged Attila to invade the West. He also attempted to conquer Roman Gaul which is modern France and crossing the Rhine in 451 and marching as far as Aurelianum before being defeated at the Battle of the Catalaunian
Plains.
In 434, Roman Emperor Theodosius II paid a tribute of essence, protection money to Attila, but Attila broke the peace treaty, destroying towns along the Danube river before moving into the empire's interior and obliterating Naissus and Serdica. In 441, Attila invaded the Balkans. When Theodosius begged for peace, Attila's tribute was tripled, but, in 447, he struck the empire again and negotiated yet another new treaty.
When the new Eastern Roman emperor, Marcian, and Western Roman Emperor Valentinian III, refused to pay tribute, Attila the Hun amassed an army of half a million men and invaded Gaul. He was defeated at Chalons in 451 by Aetius, who had banded together with the Visigoths.
Legend has it that St. Peter and St. Paul appeared to Attila, threatening to strike him dead if he did not settle with Pope Leo I. Attila died the following year, in 453, before he could try once again to take Italy.
Attila left behind a divided family. His appointed successor, his oldest son Ellac, fought with his other sons, Dengizich and Ernakh, over control of their father's empire, which was ultimately divided among them.
Among many memorable quotes, Attila the Hun is remembered for saying of his powerful reign, "There, where I have passed, the grass will never grow. He eventually invaded Italy, devastating the northern provinces, but he was unable to take Rome. He planned for further campaigns against the Romans but died in 453. After Attila's death his close adviser Ardaric of the Gepids led a Germanic revolt against the Hunnic rule, after which the Hunnic Empire quickly collapsed.