Paragraph on “Who was Attila the Hun?” complete paragraph for Class 9, Class 10, Class 11 and Class 12

Who was Attila the Hun?

The Huns were tribes of warlike people who originated in central Russia. They were very fine horsemen and, in about Ad 400, set about conquering neighbouring peoples and building up their power. In AD 434, they gained a great leader, Attila.

Attila the Hun had great plans for his marauding tribesmen. At that time, the Roman Empire was crumbling and had divided into two parts, the eastern empire being centred on Constantinople (now Istanbul in Turkey) and the western empire on Rome. In the 440s, Attila moved against the eastern empire and ravaged south-eastern Europe. He reached the walls of Constantinople but the Huns did not take the city. An earthquake may have prevented them, but Attila received huge payments from the emperor, Theodosius II, to leave him alone. He moved on across Europe and invaded Gaul (now France). There he met his only defeat in a battle against the Romans and their allies the Visigoths at Chalons-sur-Marne in AD 451. In the following year, still determined to wreak havoc on the western empire, Attila devastated northern Italy. He did not advance on Rome because Pope Leo I persuaded him not to although again large payments were probably necessary. Famine and plague may also have convinced him to halt.

Attila retreated from Italy to plan a second invasion. But before he could return he died suddenly on the very day that he married. Attila gained neither his wife nor his great empire, and only 47 years of life.

The Huns broke apart into warring tribes. In AD 455, two years after Attila’s death, the Vandals sacked and burnt Rome. Their name is now associated with wanton destruction, while Attila had a more ruthless reputation. Had he succeeded in overthrowing the Roman Empire just as Christianity was taking hold there, he could have changed the course of history.