Dubbed "Flagellum Dei" (meaning "Scourge of God" in Latin), Attila consolidated power after murdering his brother to become sole ruler of the Huns, expanded the rule of the Huns to include many Germanic tribes and attacked the Eastern Roman Empire in wars of extraction. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica.Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. 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.Attila was notorious for his fierce gaze; according to historian Edward Gibbon, he frequently rolled his eyes "as if to enjoy the terror he inspired." He expanded his empire while building the city of Babylon into a wonder of the ancient world.Attila the Hun was one of the most successful barbarian rulers of the Hunnic Empire, attacking the Eastern and Western Roman empires.© 2020 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. Shortly afterward, in 450, Attila’s Huns invaded the West—first Gaul, where, after having been kept out of Paris, they were defeated by Aetius on the Campus Mauriacus (near Troyes), then Italy, which they evacuated soon after having received tribute from the pope, St. Leo. He was the first Christian emperor and saw the empire begin to become a Christian state.Mongolian warrior and ruler Genghis Khan created the largest empire in the world, the Mongol Empire, by destroying individual tribes in Northeast Asia.Roman general and statesman Julius Caesar turned the Roman Republic into the powerful Roman Empire. He also reputedly scared others by claiming to own the actual sword of Mars, the Roman god of war.In 434, Roman Emperor Theodosius II paid a tribute—in 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.
When Theodosius begged for terms, 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 amassed an army of half a million men and invaded Gaul (now France). "We strive for accuracy and fairness. It was planned on an even bigger scale than that of 441–443, and its main weight was directed toward the provinces of Lower Scythia and In 452 the Huns invaded Italy and sacked several cities, including Aquileia, Patavium (Padua), Verona, Brixia (Brescia), Bergomum (Bergamo), and Mediolanum (Milan); Aetius could do nothing to halt them. They also invaded the Pontic steppes and forced thousands of Goths to seek refuge in Roman cities in the Lower Danube.Attila was born north o… Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. The Huns were a nomadic tribe from Central Asia that scholars believe may have begun to enter Europe by the 2nd century A.D. or earlier.The main body of the Huns had definitively entered Europe and conquered the Alans (ancient Iranian nomads) by the mid-370s. According to the historians, Attila was, though of an irritable, blustering, and If you see something that doesn't look right, Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives.Charlemagne was the founder of the Carolingian Empire, best known for uniting Western Europe for the first time since the fall of the Roman Empire.Constantine I was a Roman emperor who ruled early in the 4th century. Attila ruled the Hunnic empire from 440 to 453 AD, first with his brother Bleda, then alone after he had Bleda murdered. Get kids back-to-school ready with Expedition: Learn!
His father's name was Mundzuk, and his uncle, Rugila (also known as Rua and Ruga), was king of the Huns.
Attila had many wives and is reported to have died after his final wedding. Theodosius II had specifically built the great walls to defend against Attila. Upon murdering his brother in 445, Attila became the 5th-century king of the Hunnic Empire and the sole ruler of the Huns.Attila united the tribes of the Hun kingdom and was said to be a just ruler to his own people.