ATTILA THE HUN, c. A.D. 400-453
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Troyes, Gaul, Spring A.D. 451'?"""' • 'i' 'K"?'i"YY r -r ?'?<; -r T'YY"?Y'YY'?'i'Y?'i"?'i"'T'Y'Y
THE PEOPLE OF GAUL KNEW THE INVASIONwas coming. Messengers from the east had brought the news to this huge area in western Europe. But even to those expecting it, the army of Attila the Hun must have made a fearsome sight.
A quarter of a million men had made their way up the Danube River from Pannonia, in present-day Hungary. Most of them were bearded, rugged, and.,tou t. Swords swung from their waists. Some carried Iiows and quivers of arrows slung across their backs. 'l'hc foot soldiers walked next to wagons loaded with supplies. The cavalry rode horses with finely decorated sadd les and harnesses.
A s Attila led his Hun army across the Rhine River ln present-day France, he saw the imposing works of the greatest empire on earth. For 500
years, Gaul had been a province of the Roman Empire, and the
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Romans had left their mark there. Christian churches
and cathedrals dominated many towns. A 100-foot-tall
tower made of massive stone blocks guarded the city
of Trier. A huge stone arch led the way into Reims.
Attila marched his men southwest, headed for a
showdown with the mighty Roman army. When his
men got hungry, they stopped to loot undefended
towns for supplies. Most of the countryside was
deserted, the Gauls having fled into the woods to
escape the invading Huns. Those who chose to defend
their homes of ten met a dreadful end. When the
people of Metz refused to surrender to Attila, the
Huns battered down the city's walls and slaughtered
its inhabitants.
With a week's march to go before the two armies
met, Attila arrived at the town of Troyes. His men
entered and began to search the wood and thatch homes
for food.
According to legend, a bishop named Lupus
emerged from the cathedral to negotiate with Attila.
Lupus introduced himself as a "man of God."
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The Hun king supposedly replied, "I am Attila, the Scourge of God."
Lupus is said to have saved the town by
offering himself to Attila as a hostage and guide.
Attila left Troyes standing and moved on to battle
the Roman army over the future of western Europe.
The encounter-or at least the story that
emerged from it-gave Attila a name that stuck
with him for centuries. The Hun king spent most
of his life at war. His expert archers thundered
through the countryside on horseback, spreading
terror wherever they rode.
Christian victims saw the pagan Attila as a dark
force of nature, like a disease or a terrible storm. They
had only one explanation for the suffering he caused:
Attila the Hun must have been a punishment sent by God.
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