Attila the Hun Timeline and History

Attila the Hun Timeline and History This timeline shows the significant events in the history of the Huns, with emphasis on the reign of Attila the Hun, in a simple one-page format. For a more-detailed recounting, please see the in-depth timeline of Attila and the Huns. The Huns Before Attila 220-200 B.C. - Hunnic tribes raid China, inspire the building of the Great Wall of China 209 B.C. - Modun Shanyu unites the Huns (called Xiongnu by Chinese-speakers) in Central Asia 176 B.C. - Xiongnu attack the Tocharians in western China 140 B.C. - Han Dynasty Emperor Wu-ti attacks the Xiongnu 121 B.C. - Xiongnu defeated by Chinese; split into Eastern and Western groups 50 B.C. - Western Huns move west to the Volga River 350 A.D. - Huns appear in Eastern Europe The Huns under Attila's Uncle Rua c. 406 A.D. - Attila born to father Mundzuk and unknown mother 425 - Roman general Aetius hires Huns as mercenaries late 420s - Rua, Attilas uncle, seizes power and eliminates other kings 430 - Rua signs the peace treaty with Eastern Roman Empire, gets a tribute of 350 pounds of gold 433 - Western Roman Empire gives Pannonia (western Hungary) to the Huns as payment for military aid 433 - Aetius takes de facto power over Western Roman Empire 434 - Rua dies; Attila and older brother Bleda take Hunnic throne The Huns under Bleda and Attila 435 - Aetius hires the Huns to fight against the Vandals and Franks 435 - Treaty of Margus; Eastern Roman tribute increased from 350 to 700 pounds of gold c. 435-438 - Huns attack Sassanid Persia, but are defeated in Armenia 436 - Aetius and the Huns destroy the Burgundians 438 - First Eastern Roman embassy to Attila and Bleda 439 - Huns join the Western Roman army in a siege of the Goths at Toulouse Winter 440/441 - Huns sack a fortified Eastern Roman market town 441 - Constantinople sends its military forces to Sicily, en route to Carthage 441 - Huns besiege and capture the Eastern Roman cities of Viminacium and Naissus 442 - Eastern Roman tribute increased from 700 to 1400 pounds of gold September 12, 443 - Constantinople orders military readiness and vigilance against Huns 444 - Eastern Roman Empire stops paying tribute to Huns 445 - Death of Bleda; Attila becomes sole king Attila, King of the Huns 446 - Huns demand for tribute and fugitives denied by Constantinople 446 - Huns capture Roman forts at Ratiaria and Marcianople January 27, 447 - Major earthquake hits Constantinople; frantic repairs as Huns approach Spring 447 - Eastern Roman army defeated at Chersonesus, Greece 447 - Attila controls all of the Balkans, from the Black Sea to the Dardanelles 447 - Eastern Romans give 6,000 pounds of gold in back-tribute, yearly cost increased to 2,100 pounds of gold, and fugitive Huns handed over for impaling 449 - Maximinus and Priscus embassy to the Huns; attempted assassination of Attila 450 - Marcian becomes Emperor of Eastern Romans, ends payments to Huns 450 - Roman princess Honoria sends ring to Attila 451 - Huns overrun Germany and France; defeated at Battle of Catalaunian Fields 451-452 - Famine in Italy 452 - Attila leads an army of 100,000 into Italy, sacks Padua, Milan, etc. 453 - Attila suddenly dies on wedding night The Huns After Attila 453 - Three of Attilas sons divide the empire 454 - The Huns are driven from Pannonia by the Goths 469 - Hunnic king Dengizik (Attilas second son) dies; Huns disappear from history