The history of the Huns is very interesting. For the Slavic people, it is interesting in that there is a high probability that the Huns are the ancestors of the Slavs. There are a number of historical documents and ancient scriptures that reliably confirm that the Huns and Slavs are one people.
It is very important to conduct continuous research of our origin, since according to the existing history, our distant ancestors before the advent of Rurik were a weak and uneducated nation, without a culture and traditions. According to some scholars, things were even worse, since the disunity of the ancient Slavic tribes prevented the independent management of their lands. Therefore, the Varangian Rurik was called up, laying the new dynasty of the rulers of Russia.
For the first time, a major study of Hunnic culture was conducted by the French historian Deginier. It found a similarity between the words "Huns" and "Huns." The Huns were called one of the largest peoples who lived on the territory of modern China. But there is another theory according to which the Huns were the ancestors of the Slavs.
According to the first theory, the Huns are a mixture of two peoples, one of which is the Ugrians, and the second is the Huns. The first lived in the lower Volga and the Urals. The Huns were a powerful nomadic people.
Huns Relations with China
Representatives of this tribe for many centuries pursued an aggressive policy towards China and had a fairly active lifestyle. They carried out unexpected raids on the country's provinces and took away everything that they needed for life. They set fire to houses and made slaves of the inhabitants of local villages. As a result of these raids, the lands were in decline, and over the earth, the smell of burning and the ashes lifted up for a long time ran through.
It was believed that the Huns, and somewhat later the Huns, are those who do not know anything about pity and compassion. Conquerors promptly left the robbed settlements on their stunted and hardy horses. In one day, they could overcome more than a hundred miles, while entering the battle. And even the Great Wall of China was not a serious barrier for the Huns - they easily circumvented it and carried out their raids on the lands of the Celestial Empire.
Over time, their weakening and decay occurred, as a result of which 4 branches were formed. They were more actively oppressed by other, more powerful peoples. In order to survive, the northern Huns in the middle of the 2nd century headed west. The second time the Huns appeared on the territory of Kazakhstan in the 1st century AD.
The union of the Huns and the Ugrians
Then once the strong and huge tribe on the way met the Ugrians and Alans. With the second relationship they did not work out. But the Ugrians gave shelter to wanderers. In the middle of the 4th century, the state of the Huns arose. The priority position in it belonged to the Ugric culture, while military affairs were mostly taken over from the Huns.
In those days, the Alans and Parthians practiced the so-called Sarmatian battle tactics. The spear was attached to the body of the animal, and the poet put all the strength and power of the galloping horse into the blow. It was a very effective tactic, which almost no one could resist.
The Huns are tribes that came up with the exact opposite tactics, less effective than the Sarmatian ones. The people of the Huns emphasized more on the exhaustion of the enemy. The manner of warfare was the absence of any active attacks or attacks. But at the same time, they did not leave the battlefield. Their warriors were equipped with light weapons, were at a considerable distance from their opponents. At the same time, they fired at the enemies with bows and with the help of lassos drove the riders to the ground. Thus they exhausted the enemy, deprived him of strength, and then killed.
The beginning of the Great Migration
As a result, the Huns conquered the Alans. Thus, the formation of a powerful union of tribes. But in it the Huns were far from dominant. Around the seventies of the 4th century, the migration of the Huns through the Don took place. This incident marked the beginning of a new period in history, which in our time is called the Great Migration of Peoples. Many people at that time left their homes, mingled with other nations and formed completely new nations and states. Many historians are inclined to believe that the Huns are those who were to make significant changes in world geography and ethnography.
The next victims of the Huns are the Visigoths, who settled in the lower Dniester. They were also defeated, and they were forced to flee to the Danube and ask Emperor Valentine for help.
Ostrogoths exerted worthy resistance to the Huns. But they were waiting for the ruthless reprisal of the Hun king Tsar Balamber. Following all these events, peace came to the Black Sea steppe.
Preconditions for the great conquests of the Huns
The world lasted until 430. This period is also known for the arrival on the historical stage of such a person as Atilla. It is directly associated with the great conquests of the Huns, which had many other premises:
- the end of centuries of drought;
- a sharp increase in humidity in the steppe regions;
- expansion of the forest and forest-steppe zone and narrowing of the steppe;
- a significant narrowing of the living range of the steppe peoples who led a nomadic lifestyle.
But somehow it was necessary to survive. And compensation for all these costs could be expected only from the rich and satisfying Roman Empire. But in the 5th century it was no longer such a mighty power as two hundred years ago, and the Hun tribes under the leadership of their leader Rugila easily reached the Rhine and even tried to establish diplomatic relations with the Roman state.
History speaks of Rugil as a very clever and visionary politician who died in 434. After his death, the two sons of Mundzuk, the brother of the ruler, Atilla and Bled, became candidates for the throne.
Hun Rise Period
This was the beginning of a twenty-year period, which was characterized by an unprecedented rise in the Hunnic people. The young leaders did not fit the policy of thin diplomacy. They wanted to have absolute power, which could only be obtained by force. Under the leadership of these leaders there was a union of many tribes, which included:
- ostrogoths;
- tracks
- Meruli;
- hepids;
- Bulgars;
- acacira;
- Turklings.
Roman and Greek warriors also stood under the Hunnic banners, who reacted rather negatively to the power of the Western Roman Empire, considering it selfish and rotten.
What was Attila like?
Attila's appearance was not heroic. He had narrow shoulders, short stature. Since the boy brought riding horses for a lot of time in childhood, he had crooked legs. The head was so big that it was barely held by a small neck - it swayed all the time on it like a pendulum.
His skinny face was rather decorated rather than spoiled by deep-set eyes, a pointed chin and a wedge-shaped beard. Atilla, the leader of the Huns, was a smart enough and decisive person. He knew how to control himself and achieve his goals.
In addition, he was a very loving man with a large number of concubines and wives.
More than anything, he appreciated gold. Therefore, the conquered peoples were forced to pay tribute to him exclusively with this metal. The same applied to conquered cities. For the Huns, precious stones were ordinary, worthless glass. And the opposite attitude was observed to gold: this weighty precious metal had a noble luster and symbolized immortal power and wealth.
Killing a brother and seizing power
The invasion of the Huns on the Balkan Peninsula was carried out under the command of a formidable leader with his brother Bleda. Together they approached the walls of Constantinople. During that campaign, more than seven dozen cities were burned, thanks to which the barbarians were fabulously enriched. This raised the authority of the leaders to unprecedented heights. But the leader of the Huns desired absolute power. Therefore, in 445, he killed Bled. From that time began the period of his sole rule.
In 447, a treaty was concluded between the Huns and Theodosius II, which was very humiliating for the Byzantine Empire. According to him, the ruler of the empire had to pay tribute every year and cede the southern bank of the Danube to Singidun.
After the coming to power in 450 of the emperor Marcian, this agreement was terminated. But Attilla did not begin to get involved with him in the fight, because it could have a protracted character and take place in those territories that the barbarians had already plundered.
Campaign in Gaul
Attila, the leader of the Huns, decided to make a trip to Gaul. At that time, the Western Roman Empire was already almost completely decayed, therefore it was a tasty booty. But here all events began to develop not according to the plan of the smart and cunning leader.
The Roman legions were commanded by the talented commander Flavius Aetius, the son of a German and a Roman. Before his eyes, rebel legionnaires killed his father. The commander had a strong and strong-willed character. In addition, in the distant times of exile, he and Atilla were friends.
The expansion was triggered by a request from Princess Honoria for engagement. Allies appeared, among which was King Genzerich and some Frankish princes.
During the campaign in Gaul, the kingdom of the Burgundians was defeated and razed to the ground. Then the Huns reached Orleans. But they were not destined to take it. In 451, a battle took place on the Catalun plain between the Huns and the army of Aetius. It ended with Atilla's retreat.
In 452, the war was resumed by the invasion of barbarians in Italy and the capture of the most powerful fortress of Aquileia. The whole valley was robbed. Due to the insufficient number of troops, Aetius was defeated and offered the invaders a large ransom for leaving the territory of Italy. The campaign ended successfully.
Slavic question
After Atilla was fifty-eight years old, his health was seriously undermined. In addition, the healers could not cure their ruler. And to cope with the people he was no longer as easy as before. Constantly flaring uprisings were suppressed brutally enough.
Elder son Ellak, along with a huge army, was sent for reconnaissance in the direction of the Slavic territories. The ruler eagerly awaited his return, since it was planned to carry out a campaign and conquer the territory of the Slavs.
After the return of his son and his story about the vastness and wealth of these lands, the leader of the Huns made a rather unusual decision for him, offering the Slavic princes friendship and patronage. He planned the creation of their single state in the Hun Empire. But the Slavs refused, because they greatly valued their freedom. After this, Atilla decides to marry one of the daughter of the prince of the Slavs and thus close the issue of land ownership of the rebellious people. Since the father was against such a marriage of his daughter, he was executed.
Marriage and death
The wedding, as well as the lifestyle of the leader, had the usual scope. At night, Atilla and his wife retired to their chambers. But the next day he did not come out. The warriors were concerned about his so long absence and knocked out the door of the chambers. There they saw their ruler dead. The cause of death of the warlike Hun is unknown.
Modern historians suggest that Attilla suffered from hypertension. And the presence of a young, temperamental beauty, excessive amounts of alcohol and high blood pressure became the explosive mixture that provoked death.
There is a lot of conflicting information about the burial of the great warrior. The history of the Huns suggests that the place of burial of Atilla is the bed of a large river, which was temporarily blocked by a dam. In addition to the body of the ruler, a lot of expensive jewelry and weapons were put in the coffin, and the body was covered with gold. After the funeral, the riverbed was restored. All participants in the funeral procession were killed in order to avoid the disclosure of any information about the place of burial of the great Atilla. His grave has not yet been found.
End of the huns
After the death of Attila, a time of decline began in the Hunnish state, since everything was based solely on the will and mind of her deceased leader. A similar situation was with Alexander the Great, after whose death his empire completely crumbled. Those state entities that exist due to robberies and robberies, moreover, do not have any other economic ties, instantly collapse immediately after the destruction of just one connecting link.
The year 454 is known for the separation of motley tribes. This led to the fact that the Hun tribes could no longer threaten the Romans or Greeks. This could be the main cause of death of the commander Flavius Aetius, mercilessly stabbed by the sword of the emperor of the Western Roman Empire, Valentinian during a personal audience. This is said that the emperor cut off his right hand with his left.
The result of such an act was not long in coming, as Aetius was practically the main fighter against the barbarians. All patriots remaining in the empire were rallied around him. Therefore, his death was the beginning of the collapse. In 455, Rome was captured and plundered by the King of Vandals, Genzerich and his army. In the future, Italy as a country did not exist. She was more like fragments of the state.
For more than 1,500 years, there has been no formidable leader of Atilla, but his name is known to many modern Europeans. He is called the “scourge of God,” which was sent to people because they did not believe in Christ. But we all understand that this is far from the case. The king of the Huns was the most ordinary man who really wanted to command a huge number of other people.
His death is the beginning of the sunset of the Hunnic people. At the end of the 5th century, the tribe was forced to cross the Danube and ask for citizenship from Byzantium. He was allocated land, "territory of the Huns," and the story of this nomadic tribe ends on this. A new historical stage began.
None of the two theories of the origin of the Huns can be completely refuted. But we can say for sure that this tribe has influenced world history quite strongly.