How Attila the Hun Worked

When Attila and Bleda took over rule of the Huns in 434, they finished a peace treaty their uncles had been arranging with Theodosius II, head of the Eastern Roman Empire. In addition to Theodosius II turning over some renegade Huns who had escaped, he agreed to pay the Huns 700 pounds (317 kilograms) of gold as an annual tribute, among other terms, to keep the Huns at bay [source: New World Encyclopedia].

The next few years were peaceful in the Roman Empire, as the Huns were off trying to invade the Persian Empire. They didn't succeed, however, which may be why Attila suddenly cried out that the Romans had broken their treaty, leading the Huns to begin attacking cities in the Eastern Roman Empire once again in 441. Barreling through the territory, they came to within 20 miles (32 kilometers) of the capital, Constantinople, when Theodosius II once again bartered with the men to stop their attacks. This time the cost was a staggering 2,100 pounds (952 kilograms) of gold per year [sources: Pruitt, New World Encyclopedia].

Back in their home in the Great Hungarian Plain, the Huns lived reasonably peacefully until 445, when Attila is said to have slain his brother, Bleda, to become sole leader of the Huns. A few years after that, he again battled the Romans, rolling through today's Balkans and into Greece. Once again the Romans couldn't best the Huns, begged for a cease-fire and agreed to even harsher penalties and peacekeeping terms.

Attila's first and only battlefield loss came in 451, when roughly 200,000 Hun soldiers invaded Gaul (France). At first they fared well, per usual, easily devastating all they came across. But the Romans sprang to action under General Flavius Aetius, who formed an alliance with Visigothic King Theodoric I. In a blowout battle on the Catalaunian Plains (eastern France), the Roman-Goth army defeated the Huns. King Theodoric I was killed during the bloody battle, while Attila simply withdrew his men and left Gaul.

Italy was next on Attila's agenda. He and his troops drove down into the territory in 452, destroying many cities. But the country was suffering a famine and there was much disease, both of which also affected the Huns. They decided to head for home, leaving Rome -- the main prize -- intact. The following year, Attila died. It was a very odd death which we'll explore next.

Attila, like any good barbarian in ancient times, had many wives and children, although no one knows how many. He also once received an interesting marriage proposal. Sort of.

It was the spring of 450 when Attila received an engagement ring from Honoria. Honoria was the sister of Valentinian III, emperor of Western Rome. Valentinian III was trying to arrange a marriage for Honoria, but she didn't want to marry the aristocrat he had in mind. So, she sent her engagement ring to Attila, asking him to help her avoid her scheduled nuptials. Attila either thought she was hinting that she wanted to escape by marrying him instead, or he may have pretended that's what he thought. Either way, upon receiving the ring he proclaimed Honoria would soon become his newest wife, and demanded half of the Western Empire as her dowry.

Naturally, Valentinian III was furious with Honoria. She denied she was trying to marry Attila, and eventually agreed to marry the aristocrat. Meanwhile, Attila invaded Italy in 452, claiming the reason was to find Honoria and make her his wife. But apparently he was easily distracted from this mission, because in 453 he married the young, beautiful Ildico. On their wedding night, he ate and drank a lot more than usual. The next morning Ildico found Attila dead in their marital bed. The cause? Attila, prone to nosebleeds, apparently suffered one in his sleep (or drunken stupor) and choked to death on his own blood.

Not surprisingly, some later claimed Attila was murdered by Ildico; others said his death was part of some larger conspiracy involving Marcian, then head of the Eastern Roman Empire. No matter. Following his death, the Hun horsemen cut their long hair and smeared blood over their faces, then rode slowly around Attila's tent. Later, they placed Attila's body in a gold-covered coffin that was set inside a silver coffin that was set inside an iron one. According to legend, a river in an undisclosed place was diverted, and Attila was buried in the riverbed, after which the waters were released to flow back over his burial place, effectively hiding it from his enemies. The servants who performed the burial were subsequently slain to ensure no one would find his remains. And so far, nearly 1,600 years later, no one has [sources: Pruitt, Mark].

When you're notoriously famous, stories begin circulating about you, both true and false. There are several legends associated with Attila the Hun. Perhaps the most dramatic involves his incursion into Italy in 452. According to the famous tale, when Attila and his troops entered Italy, Valentinian III, the Western Roman Emperor, fled to Rome. That gave the Huns free reign to loot and destroy at will.

But the Huns were so destructive, Pope Leo I traveled up from Rome to confront the aggressor. He told Attila he was not welcome in Italy, making a great show of his bravery, and noted his personal hotline to God. Then, a miracle occurred. Saints Peter and Paul appeared before Attila and told him he must obey Pope Leo I or he would die. Attila agreed and quickly left the country. No written records exist about Attila's encounter with Pope Leo I. But a more likely occurrence is that after meeting with the pope, Attila decided to call off the invasion because his supplies were running low and his troops were falling ill from the disease ravaging the country. He was also probably concerned he was more needed back at home, where the Eastern Roman Empire had recently launched at offensive into Hun territory.

The fable about Pope Leo I confronting Attila with Saints Peter and Paul at his side is interesting because little is known about Attila's religious beliefs, or lack thereof. Whether or not he was a Christian, there is some evidence Attila may have believed in prophecies. One story about the Hun relates how a shepherd once discovered one of his animals limping and bleeding. Searching for the cause, the shepherd found a finely crafted sword lying in the field. The shepherd brought the sword to Attila, who believed it was a sign that he was ruler of the world, and was given the blessing to fight at will. Attila claimed this sword once belonged to Mars, the Roman god of war, which struck fear in the hearts of many.

Attila enjoyed his nefarious reputation. He fueled it by adopting a fierce gaze said to make people quake, and famously said, "There, where I have passed, the grass will never grow again." Partly because of this, ancient artists drew Attila as an unsightly creature with devil's horns and a goatish beard.

In more recent times, the names "Attila" and "Huns" continue to evoke savagery. During World War I, the British insultingly compared the German army to the Huns because of the soldiers' brutality. The comparison was also likely due to the fact that the German Kaiser sent troops to China in 1900 to squash the Boxer Rebellion, telling the men to fight like Huns [sources: History, Biography, Dash].