Attila the Hun : barbarian king and the fall of the Rome

The Name Attila The Hun Has Become A Byword For Barbarism, Savagery And Violence. His Is A Truly Household Name, But What Do We Really Know About The Man Himself, His Position In History And The World In Which He Lived? This Riveting Biography Reveals The Man Behind The Myth. In The Years 434-454ad The Fate Of Europe Hung Upon The Actions Of One Man, Attila, King Of The Huns. The Decaying Roman Empire Still Stood Astride The Western World, From Its Twin Capitals Of Rome And Constantinople, But It Was Threatened By A New Force, The Much-feared Barbarian Hordes. It Was Attila Who United The Barbarian Tribes Into A Single, Amazingly-effective Army. He Launched Two Violent Attacks Against The Eastern And Western Halves Of The Roman Empire, Attacks Which Earned Him His Reputation For Mindless Devastation, And Brought An End To Rome's Pre-eminence In Europe. Attila Was Coarse, Capricious, Arrogant, Ruthless And Brilliant. An Illiterate And Predatory Tribal Chief, He Had No Interest In Administration, But Was A Wily Politician, Who, From His Base In The Grasslands Of Hungary, Used Secretaries And Ambassadors To Bring Him Intelligence On His Enemies. He Was A Leader Whose Unique Qualities Made Him Supreme Among Tribal Leaders, But Whose Weaknesses Ensured The Collapse Of His Empire After His Death. "Genghis Khan is one of history's immortals: a leader of genius and the founder of the world's greatest land empire - twice the size of Rome's. His mysterious death in 1227 placed all at risk, so it was kept a secret until his heirs had secured his conquests. Secrecy has surrounded him ever since. His undiscovered grave, with its imagined treasures, remains the subject of intrigue and speculation." "Today, Genghis is by turns scourge, hero and demi-god. To Muslims, Russians and Europeans, he is a mass-murderer. Yet in his homeland, Mongols revere him as the nation's father; Chinese honour him as dynastic founder; and in both countries, worshippers seek his blessing." "This book is more than just an account of Genghis' rise and conquests. John Man uses first-hand experiences to reveal the khan's enduring influence. He is the first writer to explore the hidden valley where Genghis may have died, and one of the few westerners to climb the sacred mountain where he was probably buried." "The result in an account of the man himself and of the passions that surround him today. For in legend, ritual and controversy, Genghis lives on."--BOOK JACKET Genghis Khan, the creator of the greatest empire the world has ever seen is one of history's immortals. In Central Asia, they still use his name to frighten children. In China, he is honoured as the founder of a dynasty, the Yuan. In this work, John Man, takes a detailed look at his life and times The creator of the world's greatest empire is one of history's immortals. He is also at the heart of one of the greatest mysteries -- how and where was he buried? Its solution might, conceivably, reveal a treasure on a scale not seen since the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb