Biography of Attila

The legend of terror

Year of birth: 406 16 March 453 Attila was born in the Caucasus around the year 406. His father died from an early age, according to the custom Hun learned to ride a horse before you even walk. At the age of five years had already learned the art of fighting with bow and arrow. In the early 5th century Rome concluded a peace treaty with King Rua, uncle of Attila, under which the city had to pay an annual tribute of 160 kilos of gold; both sides have also held high-ranking hostages as a guarantee. Among the hostages there is Attila, sent to live in Ravenna, in the Roman Empire. Here the future King of the Huns learn Latin and became an eyewitness to the decline and corruption of the Roman Empire. During his stay in decadent Roman costumes began to despise Attila, maturing at the same time a strong hatred that it will become the most dangerous enemy of Rome. Attila is twenty years old when he returns among his people. She has participated in numerous invasions triggered by his uncle Rua. Rua's death, in the year 434, Bled, 27-year-old brother of Attila, becomes King: Bled immediately building a reputation as a ruthless military leader. Thanks to a lucrative deal with the Romans, Bleda and Attila leave the territories of Constantinople who were initially in their sights. The Huns do not have confrontations with the Romans during the next five years; the invasion of Persia. A defeat in Armenia forces him to renounce the conquest of the Persians. In 440 they return on the borders of the Roman Empire. Attack merchants on the Northern Bank of the Danube, thus threatening a new war. Pass the river and ravage the cities of Illyria. The hunnish army, having sacked Margus and Viminacium occupies Singidunum (modern Belgrade) and Sirmium (today Sremska Mitrovica), then suspend military operations. It follows a period of calm until the year 442 Theodosius recalls troops from North Africa and ordered that it coined a new currency, in order to finance the offensive action against the Huns. In response, Attila and Bleda in 443 resume campaign of invasion. Carry out raids along the Danube by subduing military camps with Battering Rams and siege towers, newly developed military equipment. The Huns then confronted and defeated the Roman army at the gates of Constantinople and only the lack of means of combat can make a breach in the massive walls of the city forces them to stop. Theodosius admitted defeat. Fulfilled for some claims, the Huns are returning in their empire. Around 445 Bleda and Attila dies becomes the sole King; become undisputed leader and leader of the Huns, addressed again its expansionist aims toward the Eastern Roman Empire. Anywhere would lead his army, the consequences were devastating: Attila was massacring hostages and prisoners; also during retreats was perpetrated all kinds of torture or violence: the legends that followed did nothing but increase the popularity and ego of Attila. The methods were wild and brutal, the terror was carried everywhere, and the city razed. His reputation for cruelty was so big that I could just say the name of Attila to terrorize the populations of the cities we moved with his troops, by suppressing any resistance to them and getting them to open the doors without a shot being fired. After crossing the Germanic and French lands, Attila returns to Italy in 452: the army, composed mainly of Germanic troops, advancing out of Trieste but was stopped at Aquileia, walled town of great strategic importance: his tenure made it possible to control much of Northern Italy. Attila laid siege to the city for three months, but to no avail. A legend says that even as he was about to retire, from a tower of the wall would be uplifted in flight a white stork, abandoning the city with small on the back. King Attila, superstitious, saw that he would order his army to remain: soon after, the part of the wall where the Tower left by Stork, would fall. Attila takes over so the city razing without leaving any trace of its existence. Then heads towards Padua, plundering completely. Before his arrival many locals seek refuge in the marshes, where they founded the city of Venice. No other city tries to drag and Attila can advance directly to Milan without difficulty. Attila conquers Milan and settled for some time in the Royal Palace. Famous remained the singular way with which asserted its superiority over Rome: in the Royal Palace there was a painting that featured the Caesars sat enthroned at their feet the principles Scythians. Attila, impressed by the painting, he did change: the Caesars were depicted in the Act of emptying suppliants bags of gold before the throne of the same Attila. Ousted from Ravenna, Emperor Valentinian III leaves Italy and returns to his palace across the Danube. Planning a new attack on Constantinople, but dies in the early months of 453 (definitely on March 16). Attila's Hun warriors after discovering his death, cut their hair and scar with their swords as a sign of mourning. Attila is buried in a sarcophagus of gold, silver and iron with the spoils of his conquests; the funeral procession is killed to keep secret his burial site. According to some legends Hungarians the sarcophagus would lie between the Danube and the Tisza in Hungary. The last and most powerful King of the Huns, ruled a vast Empire that stretched from Central Europe to the Caspian Sea, and from the Danube to the Baltic Sea, unifying-for the first and only time in history-most of the barbarians of Northern Eurasia, from the Germans to the Slavs, the so called Ugro-Finn. Although his reign only lasted eight years, during this time inspired such terror that still today his name is a symbol of death and destruction. Nicknamed flagellum Dei ("scourge of God") for its ferocity, it was said that where it had passed would no longer grown grass. Even today it is considered one of the major villains of the story. Despite his empire is disrupted when he died, became a legendary figure in European history, which he remembers differently depending on the area: fierce Warrior, greedy and cruel in the area at the time under Rome; fearless and brave leader in the countries that were part of his empire. In some stories is celebrated as a great and noble King and is the main character of three Norwegian-Icelandic sagas (Nibelunga Saga, Etzel; Atli, Volsunga Saga; and finally in the Poetic Edda). Article contributed by the team of collaborators.