Editing Huns (section)

=== Under Attila<!--'Hunnic Empire' redirects here--> ===

From 434 the brothers [[Attila]] and [[Bleda]] ruled the Huns together. Attila and Bleda were as ambitious as their uncle [[Rugila]]. In 435 they forced the Eastern Roman Empire to sign the [[Treaty of Margus]],{{sfn|Thompson|1996|p=136}} giving the Huns trade rights and an annual tribute from the Romans. When the Romans breached the treaty in 440, Attila and Bleda attacked Castra Constantias, a Roman fortress and marketplace on the banks of the [[Danube]].{{sfn|Thompson|1996|pp=87–89}} War broke out between the Huns and Romans, and the Huns overcame a weak [[Roman army]] to raze the cities of Margus, [[Singidunum]] and [[Viminacium]]. Although a truce was concluded in 441, two years later [[Constantinople]] again failed to deliver the tribute and war resumed. In the following campaign, Hun armies approached Constantinople and sacked several cities before defeating the Romans at the [[Gallipoli|Battle of Chersonesus]]. The Eastern Roman Emperor [[Theodosius II]] gave in to Hun demands and in autumn 443 signed the [[Peace of Anatolius]] with the two Hun kings. Bleda died in 445, and Attila became the sole ruler of the Huns.

In 447, Attila invaded the [[Balkans]] and Thrace. The war came to an end in 449 with an agreement in which the East Romans agreed to pay Attila an annual tribute of 2100 pounds of gold. Throughout their raids on the [[Eastern Roman Empire]], the Huns had maintained good relations with the Western Empire. However, [[Honoria]], sister of the Western Roman Emperor [[Valentinian III]], sent Attila a ring and requested his help to escape her betrothal to a senator. Attila claimed her as his bride and half the [[Western Roman Empire]] as dowry.{{sfn|Halsall|2007|pp=251–252}} Additionally, a dispute arose about the rightful heir to a king of the [[Salian Franks]]. In 451, Attila's forces entered [[Gaul]]. Once in Gaul, the Huns first attacked [[Metz]], then their armies continued westward, passing both Paris and [[Troyes]] to lay siege to [[Orléans]]. [[Flavius Aetius]] was given the duty of relieving Orléans by Emperor Valentinian III. A combined army of Roman and [[Visigoths]] then fought the Huns at the [[Battle of the Catalaunian Plains]].

[[File:Leoattila-Raphael.jpg|thumb|[[Raffaello Santi|Raphael]]'s ''The Meeting between Leo the Great and Attila'' depicts [[Pope Leo I]], escorted by [[Saint Peter]] and [[Saint Paul]], meeting with the [[Hun]] emperor outside Rome]]

The following year, Attila renewed his claims to Honoria and territory in the [[Western Roman Empire]]. Leading his army across the Alps and into Northern Italy, he sacked and razed a number of cities. Hoping to avoid the sack of Rome, Emperor [[Valentinian III]] sent three envoys, the high civilian officers Gennadius Avienus and Trigetius, as well as [[Pope Leo I]], who met Attila at [[Mincio]] in the vicinity of [[Mantua]], and obtained from him the promise that he would withdraw from Italy and negotiate peace with the emperor. The new Eastern Roman Emperor [[Marcian]] then halted tribute payments, resulting in Attila planning to attack Constantinople. However, in 453 Attila died of a [[hemorrhage]] on his wedding night.{{sfn|Schütte|1921|pp=296, 306}}