ATTILA AND HIS ARMY

EUROPEAN HUNS, ATTILA AND HIS ARMY

In 370s, the Huns along the Volga River were headed by Balamir. In the yeors 374-375, Hun masses under his command crossed the Itil River and began marching west The Ostrogoths were soundly defeated. With the Huns pushing the Ostrogoths to the west, the Visigoths moving west as a result, and other tribes also being displaced, the famous "Great Migration of Peoples" in European history was begun. In a war that took place in the year 378 near Edirne, the Visigoths and the Huns defeated the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) and killed their Emperor Valens.

All of Europe was terrified by the the Huns' vastly superior military skills and techniques. Around the year 400, when the Huns begun their move west under the command of Uldiz, the State's center of gravity was also being displaced from the ItillIdillVolgo River to Central Europe. When the Huns reached the Danube River, the second part of the Great Migration of Peoples was begun. Meanwhile, Uldiz became allies with the Western Roman Empire and liberated Western Rome from the Goths and other foreign people. When Uldiz died around 406, Karaton come to power. He mostly took care of the state's eastern affairs. After his reign ended in 422, the Huns were ruled by three leaders named Rua, Oktar and Muncuk. Towards the middle of the Vth century, a European Hun State was formed, extending from Central Europe to the east of the Caspian Sea. When Rua died in the year 433, Muncuk's sons Atilla and Bleda became joint rulers of the Huns. Their rule lasted I I yeors. During this time, and expedition was dispatched to the Eastern Roman Empire following the ransacking of Hunnish gravesites. Most of the Byzantine castles in the Balkans were captured by the Huns. When Bleda died in the year 445. Atilla became the sole ruler. From the Aral Sea in the east to the Rhine River in the west, more than 30 tribes had joined Atilla, who further expanded his state. He waged wars against the Eastern Roman Empire, reaching all the way to Luleburgaz. During his great Balkan expedition in 447, Atilla defeated and made peace with the Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosios. In this war, the Hun army had marched in two separate arms, reaching Sofia, Plovdiv, Bereslav, Lbleburgaz and Bbyiikcekmece. Surviving an assassination attempt by the Byzantines one year after this expedition, Atilla got them under his absolute control and turned his attention to the west. He demanded half of the Western Roman Empire or a share in its government. When refused, he launched an expedition and clashed with the forces of Western Roman General Aetius in Gaule. During the 24-hour long battle in June 451, both sides suffered heavy casualties and retreated. After Pope Leo, whom he planned to attack, came to entreat him, Atilla gathered his army and left Italy. Atilla married a Roman princess in 453. When he died unexpectedly on his wedding night, his son Ellac came to power. During his reign, the Western Hun Empire began to disintegrate. Lilac and brothers continued to fight for the crown, ruling in quick succession (Elloc 454, Dengizich 469). Teutonic mosses rising up to declare independence led to the breakdown of the European Hun Empire.