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Very little is known about the origins of the Huns until they come in contact with Rome in the late 4th century. The Huns were the first mounted Asian warriors to move east and threaten Europe. They appeared on war horses out of the trackless Asian steppes. Their first European victim were the Alans (a people living between the Volga and the Don) and then moved further West. The Huns were a major force in driving the Germanic tribes west into the saftey of the Roman Empire, butv in the process destroying the Western Empire. The Huns moved east north of the Black Sea and conquered the Ostrogoths. Then they also drove the Visigoths across the Danube into the Roman Empire. This led defeat of the Roman army under the Emperor Valens at Adrianople (378 AD). The Huns settled along the Danube, particularly in the Hungarian Plain. For nearly 50 years they both served the Romans as allies as well as wared with them. The Eastern Emperor, beginning in the 420s, paid an annual tribute to them. When the more ambitious Attila succeded as as King of the Huns he adopted a more aggressive policy. He soon became known as the "Scourge of God." The havoc and devastation he wrought in Gaul before the Battle of Châlons (451 AD) was passed down in Medieval folklore. The slaughter and wanton killing the Huns left in their wake would indeed be hard to exagerate. The Huns not only slaughtered their enemies, but forced the ones allowed to live to serve in their armies. As a result after pillaging the European domains of the Eastern Empire and extracting an increased subsidy, Attila turned west, in p;art because of the powerful defensive walls of Constantinople. In his army were strogoths and other Germanic warriors (including Burgundians and Alans) who had lived on the Germanic side of the frontier with Gaul. The Franks were split between pro- and anti-Roman factions. The Western Empire in the mod-5th century was largely a fiction. It was ominally ruled by the Emperor Valentinian III, in fact effective control lay with the warlord general, Aëtius. Thusbit was Aëtius who assembled a confederacy to confront the huge Hunnic army. Aëtius' army was composed of Franks, Visigoths and his own Romano-Germanic army. Atilla had ravaged large areas of Gaul when the two armies met on the Catalaunian Fields, near Châlons-sur-Marne. It was one of the rare occassions when Atilla sufferec defeat. Aëtius emerged victorious, but did not destroy Attila and his army, apparently thinking that his his Visigothic allies would desert his coalition and seize control of Gaul if the Hunnic threat was destroyed. Attila led his hordes across the Alps into Italy. He drove south to Rome. Christian legend has it that Pope Leo and the force of the Cross persuaded Attila to spare the city. This is unlikely. More plausibly was that Attila turned back to deal with a threat from military forces of the eastern Empire. Then while moving toward Constantinople to destroy the Eastern Empire, Attila apparently drowned in his own blood from a nose bleed (453 AD). After Attila's death the opower of the Huns wained. This was in part because the size of their cavalry force was declining and they were becoming more of a typical barbarian army. There were also interscine squables between heirs. The remnants of Attila's Huns eventually regrouped in the Balkans wherecthey ruled the Slavic population. These people known as the Bulgars became a continuing threat to the Eastern Empire.
Very little is known about the origins of the Huns until they come in contact with Rome in the late 4th century. The Huns were the first mounted Asian warriors to move east and threaten Europe. They appeared on war horses out of the trackless Asian steppes.
The Huns had no written language. Thus almost all of what we know about the Huns come from the Romans. As the Romans hated the Huns, these ources are hardely unbiased. One account from the Romans indicates at birth, a Hun boy was slashed on his face even before he began to nurse. The Hun life was very demanding and Hun wars from an early age had to be taught from an early age to ignore pain. So the account is plausible, but I am not sure how accurate. There is also some anthroplogical fins suggesting skull deformation.
Atilla transformed the Huns from a tribe of nomad raiders that could have had an enormous impact on the history of Western Europe. When his father died, Attila was raised by the king of the Huns, an uncle. He is said to have learned to ride and use a sword before he was 5 years old. The Huns at firstallied themselves with the Romans. They were hired as mercinaries as allied to fight the Germans, especially the Visagoths. At this time the Huns and Romans exchanged hostages to ensure hgood faith--a common Roman practice. Atilla made friends as a boy with a Roman hostage--Aëtius. The two as adults would fight one of the greatest battles waged in the fading years of the Roman Empire.
The Huns were mounted cavalry and were superb horsemen. Their principal weapon was the bow. They were organized in units of 10, 100, 1,000, and 10,000 horsemen.
The arrival of the Huns in the 4th century AD had the affect of destabilizing the international situation. The Romans had for centuries contended with northern Barbarians. First the Celts and then the Germans. The arrival of the Huns added a degree of instability into the international system, further weakening the already declining Roman Empire.
Their first European victim were the Alans (a people living between the Volga and the Don) and then moved further West. The Huns were a major force in driving the Germanic tribes west into the saftey of the Roman Empire which would help destabalize the Western Empire. The Huns moved east north of the Black Sea and conquered the Ostrogoths. Then they also drove the Visigoths across the Danube into the Roman Empire. This led to the disastrous defeat of the Roman army under the Emperor Valens at Adrianople (378 AD). The Huns settled along the Danube, particularly on the Hungarian Plain.
Beda and Attila became co-rullers on the death of Beda's father. Attila argued for a more agressive policy. Increasing demands for gold were made on the Eastern Romans who after punative raids had no choice but to comply. The tribute was raised from 115 kg to 200 kg annually. Beda was killed in a hunting accident. Many believed that his death was enginered by Atilla. This seems likely, although there is no actual historical evidence of this.
For nearly 50 years they both served the Romans as allies as well as wared with them. The Huns were the most dangerous barbarian people that the Romans came into contact with. Unlike the Germans, the Huns steadfastly refused to Romanize. They refused to learn Latin and settle down and farm the land. There was of course in the 5th century, two Roman empires, an eastern and western empire.
The Eastern Emperor, beginning in the 420s, paid an annual tribute to the Huns. Gradually the Huns demanded more gold and the Eastern Empire refused, the Huns conducted punative raids. The Eastern Empire complied. When the more ambitious Attila succeded as as King of the Huns he adopted a more aggressive policy. He soon became known as the "Scourge of God." Atilla
turned the fiunancial screw on the Eastern Empire. When the Emperor refused to pay a larger tribute, Atilla wage a merciless campaign in Thrace. The destruction was total. Finally the Emperor agreed to ahuge expansion of the tribute to almost 700 kg of gold. The slaughter and wanton killing the Huns left in their wake would indeed be hard to exagerate. The Huns not only slaughtered their enemies, but forced the ones allowed to live to serve in their armies. As a result after pillaging the European domains of the Eastern Empire and extracting an increased subsidy, Atilla turned west. He saw much to be lost by asaulting the formidable defenses of Constasntinople. Instead, Atilla signed a treaty with the Eastern empire to guarantee his rear.
Gaul was still nomimally a part of the Western Empire. The Visagoths were contending with the Romans for control of Gaul. Rome had used the Huns as mercinaries to hold the Visagoths in check. The Roman commander in Gaul, Aëtius, was a boy hood friend of Atilla. Aëtius was the only Roman commander with a creditable force. Having drained the Eastern Empire trasury and plundered much of its European possesions, Atilla determined that the rewards of plunder lay in the West. It is at this time that a daughter of the Western Emperor send Atilla her ring. Demanding a dowery of half of the Empire, Atilla moved west. The havoc and devastation he wrought in Gaul before the Battle of Châlons (451 AD) was passed down in Medieval folklore. (In one of the curious turns of history, Aëtius and Atila were boyhood friends. Aëtius had been sent as a boy to the Huns as a hostage to ensure good relations. It was there he met the young Atila and became friends with him.) In his army were Ostrogoths and other Germanic warriors (including Burgundians and Alans) who had lived on the Germanic side of the frontier with Gaul. The Franks were split between pro- and anti-Roman factions. It was Aëtius who assembled a confederacy to confront the huge Hunnic army. Aëtius' army was composed of Franks, Visigoths (led by Theodoric), and his own Romano-Germanic army. Atilla had ravaged large areas of Gaul when the two armies met on the Catalaunian Fields, near Châlons-sur-Marne. (A famous World War I battle was also fought on the Marne.) It was one of the great battles and certainly most bloody of the late Roman/early Medieval era. It was also one of the rare occassions when Atilla sufferec defeat. Aëtius emerged victorious, but did not destroy Attila and his army, apparently thinking that his his Visigothic allies would desert his coalition and seize control of Gaul if the Hunnic threat was destroyed.
The Western Empire in the mod-5th century was largely a fiction. It was nominally ruled by the Emperor Valentinian III, in fact effective control lay with the warlord general, Aëtius. Attila led his hordes across the Alps into Italy. One of the first cities ravaged by Atila was Aqualea. The few survivors there flead into the marshlands and founded Venice. Atilla drove onto to Rome leaving a path of destruction in his wake. Aëtius wa unable to raiuse an army to come to Rome's defense.
Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire with the Emperor Constantine. Gradually in the 4th century, the Empire became increasingly Christianized. There was a the time no one center of Christianity, but rather five major centers and other lesser ones. The pope or bishop of Rome was recognized as an important Christian leader, but despite his claims had no special authority in the Christian world. To Christian Romans the Huns represented the end of the world. Many began to see an Apolocypse or end of the world in 500 AD. Attila earned the title, "The Scourge of God". Christian legend has it that Pope Leo and the force of the Cross persuaded Attila to spare the city. Rhere was an added enducement of a payment in gold. It should be noted that the Bishop of Rome at the time did not have the status in the Christian Church that it would come to have. The story about Pope Leo is unlikely. It is more likely a subsequent invention to help build the status of the Papacy. More plausibly Attila turned back to deal with a threat from military forces of the Eastern Empire. And surely Atilla planed to return. What ever the reason, Atilla did turn back, and Leo's role in this earned great prestige for him and the papacy in the West.
Then while moving toward Constantinople to destroy the Eastern Empire, Attila apparently drowned in his own blood from a nose bleed (453 AD). After Attila's death the power of the Huns wained. This was in part because the size of their cavalry force was declining and they were becoming more of a typical barbarian army. There were also interscine squables between heirs.
The remnants of Attila's Huns eventually regrouped in the Balkans wherecthey ruled the Slavic population. These people known as the Bulgars became a continuing threat to the Eastern Empire.
The Huns are today a footnote in history. Atila's early death was, however, of great importance. The Huns resolutely resisted Romanization and Christianity. Had they prevailed rather than the Germans which were much more influenced by the Romans and gradually accepted Christianity, European history would have been very different. The continuity between the classical world and the Medieval world would have been broken.
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