The most feared Hungarians – myth, literature, history; part 5

Our candidates for today’s article are those Hungarians, who stroke fear in the hearts of the past enemies of Hungary. Only hearing their name would make them whisper the words: ‘God save us from the arrows of the Hungarians’. The names on this list are well known to Hungarians because of the myths and sayings concerning their victories on the battlefield, and for wreaking havoc among the enemies of Hungary with their sheer presence. We chose to highlight three characters today as they were great leaders of their forces, either personally or as a general.

If you have not yet read the previous articles of the series or you are simply interested in some of the most famous Hungarian figures, you can find out more about the Strongest (Part 1), Bravest (Part 2), Smartest (Part 3) and Greatest (Part 4) Hungarians by clicking on the previous links.

Attila, the Scourge of God

Attila, or Attila the Hun, was the leader of the Huns from 434 until his death in March 453. He was ruler to a multi-ethnic tribal empire in Central and Eastern Europe. While he ruled over the lands, he was one of the most feared enemies of the Roman Empire. He plundered the Balkans twice; he went as far as to try and conquer parts of the Roman Empire, namely lands of modern-day France. The farthest he was able to push his campaign was Aurelianum or Orléans, shortly after, he was defeated in the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains.

The following is a translation of a portion of the work of Wass Albert describing the victories of the Huns according to the myths:

The Sword of God was pointing Westwards in Attila’s hands.

The Alps trembled from the thundering hooves of the Huns’ horses. The Hun army flooded Thüringen like high water, and when they reached the Rhine and the Seine, they defeated the barbars, the goths and as many as 17 countries became vassals to the Empire of Attila. Byzantium trembled in terror behind their stone walls and Rome prepared for war. The Huns overrun Gaul and Attila came to a halt there. He ordered his men to build a command tower of sorts from carts and saddles so that he can see far on the Catalaunum plains.

The legions of Rome arrived during the cover of the dark, and they lined up in front of the Huns, shoulder by shoulder, shield by shield awaiting the charge of the Huns. But the camp of the Huns remained silent, no more than the whispering of the winds they heard. The dawn arrived covered in thick fog and when the red sun appeared the horizon, suddenly, out of nowhere someone sounded the horn. The fog divided for a moment and in front of the dazzled Romans, stood the shadowy figure of Attila himself. He stood in front of an uncountable number of warriors, on horseback, and the sun was shining red behind him. Then the fog clouded over everything again. – The Scourge of God and the Horsemen of Death are here – the legionaries whispered between themselves in the dark.

They were trembling while waiting for the attack, but nothing moved. Silent fell over the thick fog. And as the sun kept rising and the fog was gone, the two armies facing each other could be seen in their full splendour. As the Romans blinked into the blinding disk of the sun, the Huns launched their attack. The land was thundering and shaking under hooves of hundred thousand horses and the myriad of whistling arrows shot into the sky have darkened the heavens. Men against men, horse against horse, the battle went on through the whole day. Dusk came as the night went over the horizon shivering in horror. The death rattle of people has vanished amidst the clashing of swords.

The spirit of the warriors who have fallen fought on, as the night came crawling. That night, thousands of Huns met their ends and found their way into the seventh heaven of the Warlord, which was for those, who lost their lives in battle. According to the beliefs of the Huns, every fallen warrior could bring the spirit of those whom they defeated in battle to the other world as their servant in the afterlife. And when morning came, only Attila and his Huns remained on the plains of Catalaunum. The Roman legions retreated during the cover of the night. The Huns buried their dead and they gathered their pillage and returned to their home amidst the Carpathians. They spent the Winter with weapon-making and breaking in new horses and when Spring came, they set off Southwards with Attila at their head.

The people of Concordia and Pádua were fleeing mindlessly from them. Verona, Brescia and Cremona have opened their gates before Attila and surrendered to him. And when he reached Rome, the whole Roman Empire laid defenceless before him. Hundred thousand mounted warriors surrounded the stone walls of the city awaiting Attila’s orders. The main gate opened, and in the middle stood the servant of God, Pope Leo with a white flag in his hands and hundred priests marching behind him barefoot, while singing psalms.

Attila set out on his black war steed and greeted Leo halfway, where they met, the Servant and the Scourge of God. One barefoot and humble, the other mounted on his steed proud. Then the Servant looked up into the eyes of Attila and gently said: – There will be a time when your descendant will stand before my kind and would ask for a royal crown and blessing for their nation. Do you wish the whole city to look upon them as the offspring of the dreaded Attila, who destroyed Rome?

Attila stared at him pondering for a few moments, nodded and peacefully said: – Go back to your city, holy man, be thankful for your gods that you found mercy at the hands of Attila.

He then turned his horse with a pull and signalled the Huns to withdraw. On their way home, the Huns assaulted the famous city of Venice. They swam through the water on horseback and they loaded their carts with as many spoils as they could and women as well. This was the last great adventure of the Huns. The Sword of God laid peaceful in its sheath and the Scourge of God fulfilled the prophecy of the seers and the whole world was humbly lying on the ground before his feet.

János Hunyadi, the Bane of the Turks

János Hunyadi (John Hunyadi) was born in 1406 and died in illness on the 11^th of August in 1456. He was a major political and military figure both in Hungary and in Central and Southeastern Europe during the 15th century, but he is mainly on our list due to his military successes.