Hun Empire

# Propaganda

Territory under Hunnic control circa 450 CE

In Ancient Greece and Rome, Propaganda against nomads flowed like a river, carrying with it the seeds of arrogance and superiority. Tales spun by scribes and orators painted vivid pictures of barbarity and chaos, the Greek and Roman writers and historians wielded their pens as swords, fashioning words as weapons to enforce the notion that their way of life, their governance, and their culture were the pinnacle of human achievement. They propagated the narrative that nomadic tribes were merely uncivilized wanderers, lacking the sophistication and structure that defined their own societies.

They propagated the famous comment that said - πᾶς μὴ Ἕλλην βάρβαρος - meaning "anyone who is not a Greek is a barbarian". This Racist Comment has its roots at the end of The Second Ancient World War, a war that ended in 404 BCE with the Persian Empire and Spartan empire as allies, the first who was called as "Barbarians" were the Persians.

The Huns (Χοῦνοι "Khounoi" in Greek,) were nomadic figures also known as the (Ουρουγούνδοι) Ourougoúndoi, a Roman Greek propaganda name with connections to Bourougoundoi that was given to the Burgundians. The Burgundians were a Germanic tribe.

To the ever-proud Greeks and Romans, their presence was a challenge to the proclaimed superiority of their ideal civilization.

Legends were crafted, depicting the Huns as Pagan creatures of darkness, steeped in superstition and uncouth practices. The written word became a tool to fortify the belief that the Huns were a scourge upon the lands, disrupting the tranquility of the established order.

The propaganda machinery relentlessly churned out narratives that vilified these nomads, portraying them as a menace to the civilized world. Every ink stroke penned a tale of fear, warning of the impending doom should the Huns encroach upon the borders of their "civilized" society.

In The passage of time, Greek and Roman propaganda only became more and more aggressive until hate eventually replaced it, hate that survives even today at the time of creation of this wiki page.

# Seeking Refuge

The People of the Great Steppe, also known as "Huns", sought refuge from the wars of the Roman Empire and Sasanian Empire. in 376 CE the "Huns" reached the Don River, sensing the winds of change, found kinship with its lands.

The People of the Don River created settlements, however a conflict ignited with the Eastern Goths, led by the warlord Ermanaric. However the people of the Don River were greater warrirors than the Goths and Ermanaric faced defeat.

# Kingdom of Electra

By summer 408, The People of the Don River, aware of shifting Roman strategies, ventured into Balkan and Thrace. Capturing Castra Martis, they intersected with Queen Minola's Kingdom of Electra. Rather than conflict, a alliance emerged, Uldin, married Queen Minola and became the first non-Balkan King, birthing the "Hun" Uldin Empire.

# Rise of The Empire

Diplomatic interactions between the Roman Empire and the Huns took place, in 412. The Roman mission aimed to buy the empire and make it a nation friendly with Rome.

As the Empire continued under the command of Ruga, the Empire reached the defense of Constantinople, imposing an annual tribute on the Eastern Empire. Friendly relations with the Western Roman Empire were evident in 424 when the Empire fought alongside the Romans in North Africa.

Magister militum Aetius led a large "Hunnic" force into Italy in 425 to counter forces of the Eastern Empire, leading to reconciliation and the Empire received gold before returning to their lands.

However, by 427, the Romans severed their alliance with the Empire, launching an attack on Pannonia, the leadership dynamics within the Huns' ruling structure also evolved. Ruga and Octar assumed positions of power, with Ruga seemingly governing the lands east of the Carpathians, while Octar controlled the territory to the north and west. Octar's death around 430, during conflict with the "Burgundians", led to the rise of his nephew Attila.

# Attila "The Hun"

In 432, Ruga played a role in aiding Aetius, who had fallen into disfavor, in regaining his position as magister militum. As a reward, Aetius surrendered Pannonia Prima to Ruga in 433. Ruga's plans to attack tribes under his perceived authority, which had sought refuge in Roman territory, were disrupted by his death during the campaign, leading to the Huns withdrawing from Roman lands in 434.

After Ruga's death, Attila and Bleda, his nephews, assumed leadership of the Huns. Bleda seemingly ruled the eastern portion, while Attila governed the west. In 435, they compelled the Eastern Roman Empire to sign the Treaty of Margus, securing trade rights and increasing annual tribute. Additionally, the Romans agreed to surrender Hunnic refugees and fugitive tribes.

In 437, Huns, under Aetius and Attila, destroyed the Burgundian kingdom and assisted in capturing Tibatto, leader of the Bagaudae. In 438, Huns aided the Romans unsuccessfully besieging Toulouse. They extended their rule in "Scythia" and clashed with the Sorosgi people. In 440, a breach of the Treaty of Margus led to Hunnic attacks on Roman towns, culminating in the sack of Viminacium.

In 444, tensions with the Western Empire were resolved diplomatically by Cassiodorus. After Bleda's death, Akatziri rebels, encouraged by the Romans, sought Hunnic aid, leading to Attila's victory, placing his son Ellac in command.

In 447, Attila complained to the Eastern Roman Empire about unpaid tribute, initiating conflict with it. By 450, a new treaty with the Romans was negotiated, allowing Attila to focus on plans to invade the Western Roman Empire. In 451, Attila invaded Gaul, clashing with Aetius at the Battle of the Catalaunian Fields. The outcome of the battle marked the beginning of Huns' retreat from Gaul.

In 452, Attila launched a devastating invasion, sacking Aquileia, Padua, Mantua, Verona, and Brescia. Following a peace embassy led by Pope Leo I, Attila withdrew, content with the acquired wealth. In 453, he planned a major campaign against the Eastern Roman Empire to compel them to resume tribute payments.

However, during his wedding to a new bride, Attila was assassinated. this event triggered a power struggle among his sons—Ellac, Dengizich, and Ernak. The ensuing conflicts led to the rebellion of the Gepids under Ardaric.

# Battle of Nedao

Attila was assassinated by his new wife known as Ildico, Ildico was given the poison from the Roman Senate in a plot to install a new emperor, controlled by the Roman Senate. However, Attila's death sparked internal conflicts within the Empire with Ildico to be the first to die.

The Huns, led by Ellac, fought the Gepids but suffered defeat, resulting in Ellac's death at the Battle of Nedao in 454. The decline of Hunnic rule was a gradual process, with the Huns slowly losing control over their subject peoples.

The Empire was spited to successor states..

1. The Gepid Empire led by Ardaric, in the region of Eastern Europe, including the Carpathian Basin.
2. The Ostrogoths in areas such as Pannonia (modern-day Hungary and surrounding regions).
3. The Herul people into Scandinavia and the Balkans.
4. The First Bulgarian Empire in the Balkans.

The Fall of the Hun Empire altered the dynamics in Europe, it did not alleviate the broader challenges faced by the Roman Empires. The shifting geopolitical landscape played a role in the subsequent historical developments leading to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476.