Attila, King of the Huns: The Man and the Myth

"This is a thrilling piece of historical reconstruction. Patrick Howarth draws on the wealth of evidence provided by recent archaeological finds, as well as on Hungarian sources not known in the West, to give us the first authentic account of the life of Attila." "He also provides a careful study of the Attila legends which grew up through the centuries, ranging from Roman chronicle through the Nibelungenlied to Hollywood epic. The contrast between fiction and truth is startling." "The early Christian chroniclers called Attila the Scourge of God and thought he had been sent to punish people for their sins. Italian artists portrayed him with horns. The resulting popular picture was of a bloodthirsty tyrant. Basing his presentation in particular on an account left by a man who dined with Attila and knew his family, Patrick Howarth shows him to have been a man of clemency, tolerance and wisdom, albeit a highly successful man of war." "Attila reigned for only eight years. After consolidating an empire which extended to the Caspian he came near to toppling the Roman Empire in both East and West. At one point he was at the gates of Constantinople, demanding and receiving large tributes in gold. His armies then marched through France and Italy, capturing one great city after another." "The sister of a Roman emperor sent him a ring as a proposal of marriage, and he left Italy only after a dramatic meeting with Pope Leo the Great." "He died on his wedding night after he returned from Italy. His grave is still being sought."--Jacket Acknowledgements 9 Illustrations 11 Contemporary Rulers 13 1. A Much-Maligned People 15 2. The Huns Move West 18 3. Tribal Warfare 24 4. The Magnet of Empire 29 5. Attila Becomes King of the Huns 35 6. Attila’s Kingdom 41 7. The Threat to Constantinople 48 8. The City Constantine Built 53 9. The Court of Theodosius II 60 10. A Plot to Murder Attila 66 11. The Murder Plot Discovered 73 12. The Weakness of the West 79 13. The Empress in Ravenna 85 14. The Revival of the Western Empire 90 15. Proposal of Marriage 95 16. Invasion of France 100 17. Battle Is Joined 106 18. The Catalaunian Fields 112 19. Invasion of Italy 119 20. The Cities of Lombardy Fall 125 21. Attila and the Pope 130 22. The Wedding Night and After 137 23. The Sons of Attila 143 24. Empires Dissolve 147 25. The Huns and Their Successors 153 26. Nibelung and Edda 159 27. Venetian and French Portrayals 167 28. Drama and Opera 172 29. "The Hun Is at the Gate" 178 30. The Hungarian Tradition 183 Notes 189 Bibliography 197 Index 201 In the fifth century AD the Huns, one of the most maligned and least understood of all peoples, established their headquarters - they could hardly be said to have had a capital - near the middle reaches of the river Tisza. Attila the Hun has been known to the world for centuries as a bloodthirsty tyrant and as little else. In this piece of historical reconstruction, Patrick Howarth shows how wrong the judgement of the world has been. Patrick Howarth. Col. Maps On Lining Papers. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.