Stories of Attila the Hun abound throughout the corridors of violent history. Attila had the reputation of the highest ambition and plundering anything that would get in the way of it. His armies overran Europe and conquered anything that came their way. This gave him the moniker - Scourge of the Gods. His empire stretched from Central Europe to the Black Sea and from the Danube River to the Baltic. The name Attila may mean "Little Father" in Gothic.

The story of Attila the Hun begins in that land that has been the progenitor of great and violent leaders - Mongolia. Though his origins are in question, with a certain amount of empirical evidence it has been popularly concluded that Attila belonged to a group of Mongolian or Turkic nomadic tribes from northeastern China and Mongolia. Attila's tribe was one of most advanced in the indigenous manufacture and deployment of an array of weapons.

In 434 Rua died, leaving his nephews Attila and Bleda, the sons of his brother Mundzuk, in control over all the united Hun tribes. They had inherited a violent but highly divided and fragmented tribe. Attila undertook the task of uniting the Scythian hordes. After a failed peace treaty agreement with the Roman king, Theodosius in 440, Attila and Bleda invaded the Balkans in 441. Using battering rams and rolling towers they crash-landed into Naissus and took Serdica, Philippopolis and Arcadiopolis. Theodosius conceded defeat and paid a heavy monetary penalty as compensation. During the year 445, Bleda died. There is suspicion that Attila murdered him, but murder or not; Attila became the undisputed king of the Huns.

According to a historian and Attila expert his features were typical of those from that part of the world. A large head, a swarthy complexion, small, deep-seated eyes, a flat nose, a few hairs in the place of a beard, broad shoulders, and a short square body, of a nervous strength, though of a disproportioned form. He reveled in war; but after he had ascended the throne he took on the role of a mentor to his army. Hedonism was the order of the day and cannibalism wasn't uncommon. It is rumored that Attila unknowingly ate the flesh of two of his sons, which was served to him by his spiteful wife.

In 447, Attila resumed his warring ways and rode to the South via Moesia. He defeated the Roman army of Arnegisclus without any trouble. He passed unhindered through Austria and Germany, across the Rhine into Gaul, plundering and devastating all in his path with a ferocity unparalleled in the records of barbarian invasions and compelling those he overcame to augment his mighty army. The idea was to invade Constantinople. But Flavius Constantinus who erected strong walls all around the city prevented him. Meanwhile Attila's barbarians went on a killing spree. Even the monks in monasteries were not spared. In 451, he arrived in Belgica with an army that was more than half a million strong. He captured Metz and Orleans. But the Romans were desperate and formed a number of alliances. They were able to defeat Attila in the battle of Chalons.

Most emperors of that day and age were accustomed to a certain amount of pompousness in public gatherings but Attila was the opposite. Depictions of parties in his presence show him as the temperate barbarian. His cup is made of wood while the guests were given goblets of gold and silver. His dress, too, was quite simple, affecting only to be clean.

His clothes are devoid of any ornaments whatsoever. Attila was a connoisseur of women and possessed a number of wives. They constantly accompanied him along with his Scythian fool, and his Moorish dwarf.

Attila died in 453 on the night of his marriage. Opinion is divided as to whether Attila was a heavy drinker but he consumed copious amounts of alcohol in celebration of his new bride on the night of his wedding. In his wedding chambers at the end of the event, Attila passed out flat on his back. It was then and there that Attila had a massive nosebleed. Attila either choked on his blood or an acid reflux occurred which prevented him from breathing.

Attila's sons Ellak, Dengizik, and Ernak fought over his legacy and, divided, were defeated and scattered the following year in the Battle of Nedao. Attila's empire did not outlast him. Although he reigned almost 20 years as king of the Huns, the image of Attila in history and in the popular imagination is almost completely based upon his violent military campaigns.