Аттіла

Activity: State leadership
Date of Birth: Unknown
Date of Death: 453
Navigator: Dark Ages

Attila (also known as Attil, Atli, Etzel) was a ruler who led the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He ruled vast territories across Europe and Asia, stretching from the Volga River to the Rhine.
Little is known about Attila himself. It is known that he came from the royal lineage of the Huns. Most likely, his father was Mundzuk (or Bendeguz), the brother of the Hun ruler Rua. Byzantine chronicles record that in 433 Constantinople was forced to pay Rua a regular “tribute for peace,” after which the Huns pledged not to invade imperial territory. Rua threatened to break the agreement if the Empire continued to shelter tribes that the Huns considered their slaves.
The following year, 434, two co-rulers of the Huns are mentioned: Bleda and Attila. They compelled the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II to pay a “peace tribute” that was twice as large as before. For ten years, the Huns were ruled by the duumvirate of Attila and Bleda. Historians provide little information about the relationship between the two co-rulers. The only well-known story concerns the jester Zerkon.
In 441–442, the Huns seized a significant part of the Prefecture of Illyricum, located in the territories of present-day Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. During this campaign, they captured considerable spoils as well as the famous jester who entertained the Eastern Roman commander Aspar. Zerkon had an unattractive appearance — he was a hunchbacked dwarf with deformed legs. He became known for making sharp and sarcastic jokes about Attila.
Most of what we know about Bleda’s personality comes from the fragment concerning Zerkon. Bleda adored his jester, whereas Attila could not tolerate him. As a joke, Bleda even gave a noble Byzantine woman in marriage to Zerkon.
The exact cause of Bleda’s death — dated by various sources to 444, 445, or 446 — remains unknown. One of the most widespread versions suggests that Attila killed him in a fit of rage over Zerkon and his jokes, after which Attila began to rule the Huns alone.
After that, the war between the Huns and Byzantium flared up again with renewed force. In 447, the Huns approached the earthquake-damaged walls of Constantinople (it is unknown whether the Byzantines managed to rebuild them in time). On the shores of the Sea of Marmara, on the Gallipoli Peninsula, a decisive battle took place in which the Huns under Attila were victorious. As a result, the “peace tribute” was significantly increased once again and became annual.
It is known that during these years there was an attempt to assassinate Attila. The conspiracy was uncovered, but Attila spared the Byzantine envoy Vigilius who had been responsible for the plot, accepting a substantial ransom in exchange.
In 451, Attila launched his most famous campaign — into Gaul. The largest battle of the Gallic campaign was the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains on June 15, 451. The Huns were not defeated, but they suffered considerable losses and were forced to retreat to Pannonia, where Attila’s main headquarters had long been located. The following year, he led his army into Italy and devastated its northern regions. The Romans proved unable to stop the invasion by military force — only an epidemic that broke out in the Hun camp saved the situation. Attila once again returned to Pannonia, where he died in 453.
Historians provide different explanations for the cause of his death, but they agree that Attila had celebrated a wedding shortly before. Most likely, his new wife was a Gothic woman named Ildico. After that, the versions diverge: according to one, the young bride stabbed her husband in his sleep; according to another, Attila drank excessively, and during the night blood flowed from his throat, causing him to choke.
Attila’s death led to intense struggles for power and to the eventual disintegration of the Hun Empire. According to legend, Attila was buried in three coffins — iron, silver, and gold. To ensure that no one could disturb the great commander, the Huns diverted the waters of a deep river (most likely the Danube) and buried him at the bottom. After completing all the burial rites, they returned the river to its original course, and the waters covered the burial site.
After Attila’s death, the Huns began to settle mainly in the steppe zone of southern Europe, particularly in the Middle Danube Plain. Legends about the Huns later formed the basis of Hungarian historical epic tradition.

Brief Conclusions

Statesman and reformer — led the Hun Empire, conquered vast territories, and became one of the most influential rulers of his time.
Lawgiver — not a lawmaker in the modern sense, but a military leader.
Builder and patron — not a patron in the modern sense; there is no historical evidence that he supported art or culture beyond what served the needs of his nomadic military empire.
Church policy — collected tribute from churches but did not destroy them, understanding their social role and wealth. He was a pagan, honored his gods and shamans, and believed in fate and prophecy.
Legacy — united diverse tribes, creating a powerful early European proto-state centered in Pannonia.

Authors: Ihor Tseunov, Yevhen Synytsia