King of the Huns | |
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Details | |
First monarch | Balamber |
Last monarch | Ernak |
Formation | c. 360s |
Abolition | after 469 |
Residence | Pannonia |
Appointer | Unspecified, de facto hereditary |
Pretender(s) | None |
This is a list of kings of the Huns from the arrival of the Huns in Europe in the 360s/370s until the fall of the Hunnic Empire in 469 AD.
The following list starts with Balamber, the first known king of the Huns, who is thought to be one of the earliest, if not the first, Hun king since their arrival in Pannonia. Jordanes recounts in his Getica that Balamber crushed the Ostrogoths in the 370s, probably some time between 370 and 376. The existence of Balamber, however, is disputed by some historians, thus making Uldin the first undisputed king of the Huns.
The Huns are thought to have had a sole king and several "sub-kings", or to have ruled in a dual-monarchy, similarly to their predecessors, the Xiongnu. [1] Some historians think that the Huns divided their empire in halves, with one king ruling the eastern part of the empire and another king ruling the western part (e.g. Attila and Bleda). [2]
Attila is the last ascertained sole king of the Huns, a position he apparently assumed after murdering his brother Bleda. Attila appointed his eldest son, Ellac, as King of Pontic Scythia as well as bestowing on him the additional title of King of the Akatziri. Attila also displayed a particular fondness for his younger son, Ernak, for whom the king's shamans had prophesied an important role in continuing his line. Attila, however, died unexpectedly in 453, before naming an heir, and his many sons fought among themselves for the empire, tearing it apart. Ellac died shortly after his father, at the decisive Battle of Nedao. Dengizich, another son of Attila, perished in 469. Attila's young son, Ernak, managed to maintain peaceful relations with the Romans living in the Dobruja region.
According to Hungarian legend, one of the numerous children of Attila was named Csaba. He is described as a skilled warrior and general in Hungarian chronicles who led his people to many victories. In the Hungarian chronicles, he is regarded as the ancestor of the Aba clan. According to Hungarian chronicles and tradition, also Árpád was a descendant of Attila, though it is unclear whether he descended from him through Csaba or another of his children. Hungarian chronicles also claim that the Magyars and the Huns descend from two brothers, Hunor and Magor, and their respective wives, the daughters of Dula, or Dulo. [3] [4] Attila's younger son, Ernak is a namesake of a member of the so-called Dulo clan, the first ruler of the Bulgars according to the Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans , living in the days of Attila. The person mentioned in the Nominalia is considered to be Ernak himself, or at least of Attilid descent. [5] [6]
Portrait | Name | Reign | Marriage(s) | Notes |
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Ménrót dynasty (legendary) | ||||
![]() | Magor | Alan princess, daughter of Dulo, or Dula | Magor was one of the two legendary brothers who, according to Hungarian chronicles, is the ancestor of the Huns and of the Magyars. [7] It is said he was a son of Ménrót, king of the Scythians. [8] [7] | |
![]() | Hunor | Alan princess, daughter of Dula | Hunor was, according to Hungarian chronicles, a son of the Scythian king Ménrót and his wife Eneth. He was the brother of Magor, and together with him the ancestor of the Magyars and of the Huns. According to legend, he and his brother were led to the Meotis marshes by a stag they encountered while hunting. They then established themselves there after asking permission to their father. [9] [10] | |
Non-dynastic (360–434) | ||||
![]() | Balamber | c. 360s – c. 378 | Vadamerca | Balamber is the first known king of the Huns. His historicity, however, is disputed by some historians. If Balamber did indeed exist, he was probably the king under whom the Huns arrived in Pannonia. He is noted by Jordanes as having crushed the Ostrogoths in the 370s, probably around 376 AD. [11] Balamber fought the Goths in three battles. After being defeated in the first two clashes, he managed to lead his Huns to victory, defeating the Goths in the third and decisive battle, in which he killed their king Vinitharius with an arrow, by the river named Erac. He then took Vinitharius' granddaughter Vadamerca in marriage. |
| Uldin Ουλδης, Uldin, Huldin | 400 – 412 | Unknown | He was born in the late 4th century, and is attested as king of Muntenia in 400. The extension of his kingdom to the north and east is unknown, but to the west it probably reached the Danube, around which the Huns were settled since at least 378. Uldin defeated magister militium Gainas, beheading him and sending his head as a diplomatic gift to the Romans. He further fought alongside the Romans in Italy, notably at the battle of Faesulae, where he helped defeating and killing Radagaisus, king of the Goths. He later conquered Castra Martis in Dacia Ripensis. |
Charaton Χαράτωνς | 412 – 413 | Unknown | Charaton was born in the late 5th century, and reigned since as early as 412. He is noted for receiving the Roman ambassador Olympiodorus of Thebes, who noted the skills of the Hun kings with the bow, and Charaton's anger at the unfair assassination of a certain Donatus. | |
Octar Ούπταρος | 413 – 430 | Unknown | Octar ruled at the same time as his brother Rugila, likely with a geographical division, ruling the western part of the Hunnic Empire while his brother ruled in the east. Octar was also brother of Mundzuk, who never became king himself, but begat future kings Bleda and Attila. [12] | |
Rugila Ρούγας, Ρουας, Ρωίλας | 413 – 434 | Unknown | Rugila played a major role in the Huns' early victories against the Romans. He initially ruled the empire jointly with his brother Octar, but then became the sole king after the latter died in a campaign against the Burgundians in 430. Around 423 or 431, the Romans ceded part of Pannonia Prima to him. [13] | |
![]() | Bleda Βλήδας, Βλέδας, Βλίδας, Bleda | 434 – 445 | Governor of the Pannonian village by the lake | Bleda was born around 390, the son of Mundzuk, a Hun nobleman from the royal family, the brother of king Rugila. He managed to double the Roman tribute of 350 Roman pounds (ca. 114.5 kg) of gold, regain Hunnish fugitives and make the Romans open their markets to traders from the Hunnic Empire. He led the Hunnish army to the conquest of the Balkans together with his brother Attila, taking Margus (present-day Požarevac), Viminacium (present-day Kostolac), Singidunum (modern Belgrade) and Sirmium (modern Sremska Mitrovica) in 441, and, two years later, Ratiaria, Naissus, Serdica, after which they defeated and destroyed the Roman forces around Constantinople before retiring and forcing the Romans to a new treaty which provided the Huns with 6,000 Roman pounds (ca. 1,963 kg) of gold and a tripled yearly tribute, rising to 2,100 Roman pounds (ca. 687 kg). After this, Bleda died, according to classical sources, killed by his brother. |
Attilid dynasty (434–after 469) | ||||
![]() | Attila Ἀττίλα | 434 – 453 | Kreka Eskam's daughter Ildico | Attila was the last sole king of the Huns. He ruled a vast empire, that from its firm center in Pannonia extended to the Baltic Sea and the "islands of the Ocean" in the north, and to the Caspian Sea in the east. [14] Attila won most, if not all, of his battles. Beside his successful campaigns in the Balkans, Thrace and Greece with his brother Bleda, he defeated the Romans at the Battle of the Utus and captured and destroyed Aquileia, sacked Padua, Mantua, Vicentia, Verona, Brescia, and Bergamo, before besieging and capturing Milan. [15] His only possible defeat came at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains. The outcome of this battle is disputed, with most historians agreeing that it was inconclusive. However, some modern historians consider it a Hunnish victory, [16] thus making Attila one of the major undefeated kings in history. He died unexpectedly and of natural causes in 453, as reported by a contemporary account, though a later report, later developed into legend, claims Attila was murdered by one of his wives. He was succeeded by his son Ellac and Ellac's brothers. |
![]() | Ellac | 453 – 454 | Unknown | Ellac was the eldest son of king Attila, born to Kreka, one of his chief wives. By 448, he was appointed King of the Nations of Pontic Scythia by his father, also receiving the title of King of the Akatziri. After his father's death in 453, he and his brothers apparently divided the crumbling empire among themselves. It is not known whether Ellac inherited the title of sole king. At any rate, he died shortly after his father, in 454, at the decisive Battle of Nedao. He was succeeded by his brothers Dengizich and Ernak. According to Hungarian tradition, one of the other, numerous children of Attila, and brother of Ellac, was named Csaba. |
![]() | Dengizich Δεγγιζίχ, Δινζίριχος | 454 – 469 | Unknown | Dengizich inherited the empire after the death of his father, or possibly of his elder brother Ellac. He ruled over what remained of the Hunnic Empire, the Huns and the allied and subjugated Germanic tribes in dual kingship with his brother Ernak, but with separate divisions of land. [17] Dengizich died in 469 after his failed invasion of the Eastern Roman Empire. |
Ernak Ήρνάχ, Ирникъ, Hernac, Irnik | 454 – after 469 | Unknown | Ernak was the youngest son of Attila, whom the Hun prophets had foretold would continue the line of Attila and of his people. He is often identified with Irnik from the Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans , who is noted as a descendant of the Dulo clan (pictured) and leader of the Bulgars for 150 years, starting approximately from 437 AD. [5] [18] | |
| Csaba (legendary) | 454 – after 469 | Chorasminian woman | According to Hungarian chroniclers Simon of Kéza and Mark of Kalt, the Aba clan descended from Csaba. [19] [20] [21] Mark additionally claimed that Árpád dynasty were also Csaba's descendants. [22] [lower-alpha 1] |
The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th centuries AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was part of Scythia at the time. By 370 AD, the Huns had arrived on the Volga, causing the westwards movement of Goths and Alans. By 430, they had established a vast, but short-lived, empire on the Danubian frontier of the Roman empire in Europe. Either under Hunnic hegemony, or fleeing from it, several central and eastern European peoples established kingdoms in the region, including not only Goths and Alans, but also Vandals, Gepids, Heruli, Suebians and Rugians.
Bleda was a Hunnic ruler, the brother of Attila the Hun.
The Battle of Nedao was fought in Pannonia in 454 CE between the Huns and their former Germanic vassals. Nedao is believed to be a tributary of the Sava River.
Mundzuk was a Hunnic chieftain, brother of the Hunnic rulers Octar and Rugila, and father of Bleda and Attila by an unknown consort. Jordanes in Getica recounts "For this Attila was the son of Mundzucus, whose brothers were Octar and Ruas, who were supposed to have been kings before Attila, although not altogether of the same [territories] as he".
Ernak was the last known ruler of the Huns, and the third son of Attila. After Attila's death in AD 453, his Empire crumbled and its remains were ruled by his three sons, Ellac, Dengizich and Ernak. He succeeded his older brother Ellac in AD 454, and probably ruled simultaneously over Huns in dual kingship with his brother Dengizich, but in separate divisions in separate lands.
Dengizich, was a Hunnic ruler and son of Attila. After Attila's death in 453 AD, his empire crumbled and its remains were ruled by his three sons, Ellac, Dengizich and Ernak. He succeeded his older brother Ellac in 454 AD, and probably ruled simultaneously over the Huns in dual kingship with his brother Ernak, but separate divisions in separate lands.
Charaton was one of the first kings of the Huns.
Ellac was the oldest son of Attila (434–453) and Kreka. After Attila's death in 453 AD, his empire crumbled, and its remains were ruled by his three sons, Ellac, Dengizich and Ernak. He ruled briefly and died at the Battle of Nedao in 454 AD. Ellac was succeeded by his brothers, Dengizich and Ernak.
Octar or Ouptaros was a Hunnic ruler. He ruled in dual kingship with his brother Rugila, possibly with a geographical division, ruling the Western Huns while his brother ruled the Eastern Huns.
Kreka or Hereka was the wife of Attila. She was described by Eastern Roman diplomat Priscus in his account of his stay at Attila's court in 448 or 449 AD. She and Attila had three sons: Ellac, Dengizich, and Ernak, who split among themselves what remained of Attila's empire after his death in 453.
In Hungarian mythology, Prince Csaba was the youngest son of Attila, King of the Huns. A fierce and skilled warrior, he led the Huns to victory in all the battles they encountered over the ages. He is the legendary leader of the Székelys.
Ügyek, also known as Ugek or Ugec, was – according to the chronicler Anonymus – the father of Álmos, the first Grand Prince of the Hungarians. However, according to a conflicting source, Simon of Kéza, Előd was the father of Álmos, while the chronicler referred to Ügyek as Álmos's grandfather. He is the earliest known ancestor of the Árpád dynasty. He was said to be a Scythian, i.e. to be from Dentumoger, the homeland of the Magyars, which the chroniclers identify with Scythia, and use to refer both to the land and its inhabitants.
Csaba is a Hungarian given name for males. Csaba is the native Hungarian name for Ernak, the youngest son of Attila the Hun.
Aba is a noble kindred (genus) of the Kingdom of Hungary which according to the Gesta Hungarorum derives from Pata who was a nephew to Ed and Edemen and the ancestor of Samuel Aba. Some modern scholars have proposed that the family's ancestors may have been among the tribal leaders of the Kabars. The Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum connects the family to Attila the Hun.
Csaba was Attila's legitimate son by the daughter of the Greek emperor Honorius. Csaba in turn had two sons, Edemen and Ed. Edemen entered Pannonia with his father's and mother's great entourage when the Hungarians came back for the second time, whereas Ed remained in Scythia with his father. Csaba is the ancestor of the clan of Aba.
Balamber was ostensibly a chieftain of the Huns, mentioned by Jordanes in his Getica. Jordanes simply called him "king of the Huns" and writes the story of Balamber crushing the tribes of the Ostrogoths in the 370s; somewhere between 370 and more probably 376 AD.
Álmos, also Almos or Almus, was—according to the uniform account of Hungarian chronicles—the first head of the "loose federation" of the Hungarian tribes from around 850. Whether he was the sacred ruler (kende) of the Hungarians or their military leader (gyula) is subject to scholarly debate. According to Constantine Porphyrogenitus, he accepted the Khazar khagan's suzerainty in the first decade of his reign, but the Hungarians acted independently of the Khazars from around 860. The 14th-century Illuminated Chronicle narrates that he was murdered in Transylvania at the beginning of the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin around 895.
Laudaricus was a prominent Hunnic chieftain and general active in the first half of the 5th century.
The history of the Huns spans the time from before their first secure recorded appearance in Europe around 370 AD to after the disintegration of their empire around 469. The Huns likely entered Western Asia shortly before 370, from Central Asia: they first conquered the Goths and the Alans, pushing a number of tribes to seek refuge within the Roman Empire. In the following years, the Huns conquered most of the Germanic and Scythian tribes outside of the borders of the Roman Empire. They also launched invasions of both the Asian provinces of Rome and the Sasanian Empire in 375. Under Uldin, the first Hunnic ruler named in contemporary sources, the Huns launched a first unsuccessful large-scale raid into the Eastern Roman Empire in Europe in 408. From the 420s, the Huns were led by the brothers Octar and Ruga, who both cooperated with and threatened the Romans. Upon Ruga's death in 435, his nephews Bleda and Attila became the new rulers of the Huns, and launched a successful raid into the Eastern Roman Empire before making peace and securing an annual tribute and trading raids under the Treaty of Margus. Attila appears to have killed his brother, and became sole ruler of the Huns in 445. He would go on to rule for the next eight years, launching a devastating raid on the Eastern Roman Empire in 447, followed by an invasion of Gaul in 451. Attila is traditionally held to have been defeated in Gaul at the Battle of the Catalaunian Fields, however some scholars hold the battle to have been a draw or Hunnic victory. The following year, the Huns invaded Italy and encountered no serious resistance before turning back.
Emnetzur was a Hun nobleman and a blood relative of Attila.
Ultzindur was a Hun nobleman and a blood relative of Attila.
Csaba was Attila's legitimate son by the daughter of the Greek emperor Honorius. Csaba in turn had two sons, Edemen and Ed. Edemen entered Pannonia with his father's and mother's great entourage (his mother being a Chorasminian) when the Hungarians came back for the second time, whereas Ed remained in Scythia with his father. Csaba is the ancestor of the clan of Aba.