Attila

Attila the Hun is considered to be one of the most successful barbarian rulers that ever existed in the Hun Empire, which attacked the eastern and western Roman empires . He was king of the Huaino Empire in the 5th century, and was in charge of devastating the lands that ran from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean , inspiring fear throughout the Roman Empire . Also nicknamed “Flagellum Dei” or ” Scourge of God “) in Spanish, Attila consolidated his power after assassinating his brother to become the sole ruler of the Huns, expanding his government to include manyGermanic tribes attacking the Eastern Roman Empire in wars of extraction.

What did

Among the most important actions carried out Atila, we can mention that attacked the border of the Danube in the Roman Empire of the East , made a peace treaty with the Roman people, murdered his brother to keep all power and declared king of Huns . Important barbarian invasions were carried out under his orders that were in charge of destroying the ancient world , he imposed his rule on the barbarian world and his government allowed free trade on the Danube .

Biography of Atila

Attila was born in Pannonia , a flat area where Huns’ horses grazed and bred. He inherited the throne from his father in 434 with his brother Bleda whom he murdered with the aim of being able to reign only in 445. He belonged to a tribe originally from China that came to Europe after the destruction of their empire in Turkestan .

When he was 13 years old, he was sent to Rome by his uncle Rugila , who was sovereign of the Huns on the Danube, so that he could study the Latin language , learn history , customs and everything related to the Romans and the Empire. When he was 17 he returned to face the Romans.

Before being named king, he had attacked the Eastern Roman Empire for ten years, during which time the Roman Empire lost large tracts of land. The war ended due to the good performance of the Roman army and the decision to pay the tributes established to Attila to pacify his lands. Both peoples collaborated until there was a plot to assassinate Attila by Theodosius II and by Edeco , ambassador of the Huns in Constantinople.

Death

Attila’s death is supposed to have happened the day after he had married a beautiful young woman named Ildico . According to the story, that day he took a lot and fell asleep . Some historians consider that he died due to a mortal hemorrhage , and others think that he was murdered by his wife following orders from the Eastern Emperor , as they found Attila, swimming in a pool of blood , but did not have any type of injuries , and his wife , in a corner crying.

Attila’s physical appearance

Many historians based their studies have mentioned that Atila was a man of low stature , who had a broad chest and large head ; his eyes were small, his beard thin and with the presence of some gray hair ; with his flat nose and dark complexion , a physical evidence of his origin.

Personality

It has been characterized by having a bad reputation in its history as its legend surpasses reality by creating a distorted image of the real Attila. His name has been used to show barbarism and cruelty but this is far from the truth. He was one of the most cultured men because he was sent to Rome as a friendly hostage, which was done to create an alliance.

He was a man who scared more than destroyed so he sought to make his enemies surrender by means of a savage approach . His wars were not cruel , despite current belief, but he tried to paint a violent image .

Atilla’s horse

Attila’s horse was known by the name of Othar , it was a beautiful gray- haired horse of the Tarpan breed , which is now extinct, and which came from the Asian steppes . His height was about 130 cm , his ears were long , his eyes were small, and his neck was wide and short . It was a horse that did not carry any type of adornment because for the Huns it was offensive to hang things from their mounts and it was the horse that accompanied Attila in his conquests. For the inhabitants of the town of Attila, horses were considered sacred animalsand a prolongation of its own existence ; so in this way, Attila without his horse would not have been able to reap the successes he had on the battlefield.

Importance

He is considered one of the most important figures in the last days of the Western Roman Empire as he was one of the barbarian leaders who inflicted much damage in the construction of the Western Roman Empire. The social and economic impact of the attacks by their armies, which appear to have been on an unprecedented scale, seriously weakened both the eastern and western empires. The western part of the Empire was weaker and could not cope with Attila, his incursions and financial exactions.. The western Romans did not have the military or financial means to defend themselves against the Huns. Attila deliberately attacked the west because he knew it was weaker. It did not conquer it, but it did leave it in an economic and social crisis , and this so undermined the Western state that its downfall was inevitable.

Attila phrases

Some of his most important phrases were:

• If an incompetent boss is fired, we can rarely appoint his highest ranking subordinate in his place.
• Never use arbitration , this allows a third party to determine your fate. It is a resource for the weak.
• The longer the grass , the better it cuts .
• I want to hear the litany of the blood of men!

Presence in popular culture

In popular culture it is common for the stories of great characters to reach us, with respect to Atila, different books have been written that tell his story, such as:

• The Scourge of God by Louis de Wohl
• Attila . The Huns at the gates of Rome
• The Death of Attila by Cecelia Holland
• The William Napier Trilogy
• Atila by Mario Bussagli
• The Life of Attila by Marcel Brion

Movies have also been created that tell their story, for example:

• Attila , king of the Huns
• Attila the Hun
• Sign of the Pagan with Jeff Chandler and Jack Palanc
• Attila flagello di Dio with Diego Abatantuono and Angelo Infanti
• The Conqueror with John Wayne, Susan Hayward and Pedro Armendariz
• Attila, Man or Demon with Anthony Quinn, Sophia Loren