wen's bio, the story of an individual pursuing his life's dream of becoming a musician!

SUNDAY MORNING SANTA MONICA- WEN MEW AND FRIENDS!

2009-10-12T17:37:00.000-07:00

SUNDAY MORNING SANTA MONICA is dedicated to my parents MAY JAN MEW AND THOMAS B. MEW whose support was critical to my ability to make mewsic today, and also to my dear AUNT SARAH JAN, my family, relatives and friends who have been behind me as i endeavor to create music spontanously.

my parents are in heaven now; so they can't hear this music in person, but i'm sure they've joined BIRD, DUKE, STRAYHORN and all my other heroes who have influenced what comes out of my horn.

i didn't have enough room on one cd to honor those who have encouraged me to keep going and enter the unknown.

SUNDAY MORNING SANTA MONICA was composed one beautiful SUNDAY MORNING on santa monica's famed 3rd street promenade where i play nearly everyday, weather permitting. you'll see in photos on all my blogs all my friends and students.

BOSSALERO or perhaps a portuguese title to be used later is what i thought was a BOLERO; however when producer michael parlett and i finshed it and played it for the famed LEILA, A POPULAR D.J. in BUENOS AIRES, she enjoyed it and thought it was a bossa. not being that well versed in latin music, i will use BOSSALERO and consider a PORTUGUESE TITLE.

ROBY'S WALTZ is for my friend ROBERTA GAMBARINI who HANK JONES called the greatest vocalist to emerge in the last 60 years. i'm honored with her friendship and good wishes.

MAY JAN MEW for my mom of course, who recently passed and who taught me many tunes from the GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK before i began kindergarten.

LOVELY YOU for all my friends and lovely ladies!

FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA for the pillar behind the man who must make momentous decisions daily affecting the entire world.
THE OBAMAS honored america's greatest contribution to world culture "GREAT BLACK MUSIC OR JAZZ" immediately upon moving into THE WHITE HOUSE.

SUE'S SUNRISE is for one of the main stalwarts behind the FRIENDS OF JAZZ U.C.LA and former director of the CALIFORNIA JAZZ FOUNDATION which assists musicians who may need a little help.

LIVING WITH LADY HAIG for GRANGE RUTAN the author of DEATH OF A BEBOP WIFE, a bible of bebop history.

MEW'S MOOD FOR LOVE explains itself since it's not quite MOODY'S MOOD FOR LOVE.

EMBRACE SAL for my aunt who's really like my 2nd mom. she is 95 years old and will hear this CD.

Lady B's Bossa is for my good friend, musician and educator BARBARA MORRISON who's one of the world's great vocalists.

GROOVIN WITH KIM is for my niece and hedge fund partner.

recorded and produced at TALENTED STUDIOS, LOS ANGELES, CA. OCT. 2009. www.talentedproductions.com

MASTERED BY L.P. LEW AKA "STEPHON" SOLUTIONS, LOS ANGELES, CA.

TRACKS: WEN PLAYS RAMPONE AND CAZZANI SAXELLO ON ALL TRACKS.
1. SUE'S SUNRISE 5:18 (michael parlett, piccolo)
2. SUNDAY MORNING SANTA MONICA 4:12
3. LADY B'S BOSSA 5:59 (michael parlett, alto saxophone)
4. EMBRACE SAL 3:57
5. BOSSALERO 6:05 (michael parlett, baritone saxophone)
6. FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA 5:06
7. GROOVIN WITH KIM 4:43 (michael parlett, alto saxophone
8. MAY JAN MEW 4:32
9. LOVELY YOU 5:17
10.LIVING WITH LADY HAIG 7:41 (michael parlett, alto saxophone)
11.ROBY'S WALTZ 3:14
12.MEW'S MOOD FOR LOVE 6:21 (michael parlett, baritone saxophone)

ALL COMPOSITIONS BY WEN MEW @NOVEMBER 2009 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (BMI) published by MEWSIC INC. (BMI)

this is my doctor who was reagan's doctor and sugar ray leonard's doctor!

2009-07-15T23:47:00.000-07:00

he says i might be able to avoid surgery if i avoid caffeine, tea and coffee, alcohol, curry, hot, spicy foods, chocolate, dijon mustard et al.
he's written a book about this, and if you want more info, email me. he has a website. men are not alone with these problems. it's just something one doesn't like to discuss, but if i can give you some info so you don't have to experience what i've gone through this week, happy to.

MY LAWYER KENNY KAHN DIES FROM A FALL. HE WAS ONLY 66 YEARS OLD.

2009-06-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

OBITUARIES
Kenneth Kahn dies at 66; L.A. defense attorney moonlighted as a comedian

Kenneth Kahn, a Los Angeles defense attorney, performs his stand-up comedy routine at the Ha Ha Cafe in North Hollywood. He liked to poke fun at the legal system.
Kahn, a Santa Monica resident, had a side career as a suit-wearing, briefcase-toting stand-up comic. As a lawyer, he may be best known for representing convicted spy Andrew Daulton Lee.

By Dennis McLellan
May 31, 2009
Kenneth Kahn, a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who had a side career as a briefcase-toting comic in a double-breasted suit who irreverently poked fun at the legal system, has died. He was 66.

Kahn, a Santa Monica resident, died Wednesday in a hospital in Cuzco, Peru, after suffering massive internal injuries in a fall while climbing the mountain above the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu alone, according to information provided to Bob Mazza, Kahn's public relations consultant.

Kahn had retired from his full-time law practice earlier this year and decided to fulfill a dream of traveling to South America, Mazza said.

As a lawyer, Kahn may be best known for representing convicted spy Andrew Daulton Lee, whom Sean Penn portrayed in the 1985 movie "The Falcon and the Snowman."

He also represented musician Ike Turner for a probation violation and Larry Flynt when the Hustler magazine publisher was charged with desecrating an American flag after showing up in a courthouse wearing a flag as a diaper.

But there was that other side of Kahn, who began moonlighting as a stand-up comic in the mid-'90s and carried a business card that boasted: Kenny Kahn. World's Funniest Attorney.

"Kenny was a unique blend as a lawyer and comedian," attorney Robert Shapiro said in a statement. "He grew up in a horrific childhood and achieved tremendous success in the legal profession. He will be missed by all of us."

Kahn chronicled his childhood in his 2005 book "The Carny Kid: Survival of a Young Thief."

Born in Los Angeles on June 17, 1942, he spent his early years on the midway at Ocean Park Pier, a Santa Monica amusement area. His father was a carnival hustler who rigged pinball machines and games of chance, he wrote in his book, and both of his parents were heroin addicts.

When he was 8, Kahn wrote, his mother was jailed for having sex with a minor. His father left the family, and Kahn and his younger brother, Ricki, were sent to a foster home.

The boys' parents reentered their lives a year later, taking them along for a summer of rigging carnival games at county fairs.

By 1952, Kahn was earning up to $40 a day shortchanging customers at the dime-toss booth.

In 1954, the family moved to Ramona Gardens, an Eastside public housing project, where their apartment quickly became a shooting gallery for junkies.

Two years later, while attending Lincoln High School, the 15-year-old Kahn was stricken with non-paralytic polio. After time as a patient at White Memorial Hospital in Boyle Heights, he returned to school on crutches.

At Lincoln High, social studies teacher Raymond Lopez provided a positive role model.

"I didn't see any people living in the projects with college degrees," Kahn told The Times in 2005. "Lopez set off a spark in me that ignited a thirst for knowledge."

While in high school, Kahn won speech contests and was elected student body president in 1958.

When he graduated, his mother -- now drug-free -- was there to see him accept the American Legion "Boy of the Year" award.

While continuing to spend summers with his father on the carnival circuit, Kahn worked his way through Los Angeles City College and UCLA, where he studied political science and graduated in 1962.

He went on to graduate from UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law in 1965.
In 1987, Kahn was stabbed in the chest with an ice pick in a Torrance courtroom by the man he had defended for assault on a police officer.

"My life turned around after that incident because it brought the issue of mortality into my consciousness," he told The Times in 2005. "I decided I'd rather go out and create laughter instead of dealing with cranky judges."

After attending a comedy workshop, he began moonlighting as a stand-up comic, working his way up to clubs such as the Comedy Store and the Laugh Factory.

Kahn would walk onstage in a double-breasted suit and carrying a briefcase and talk about his life as a lawyer.

Even Kahn's brush with death by ice pick was fodder for his comedy.

"The guy was trying to stab me in the heart," he'd say. "But in a lawyer, it's hard to find."

Performing comedy at night, Kahn said on his website, "gave me a fresh perspective on my profession, and as bizarre as it sounds, incorporating humor into my legal work made me a better attorney."

After the 1985 release of "The Falcon and the Snowman," Kahn filed an $11-million libel lawsuit against Orion Pictures over his portrayal in the movie.

He objected to what he said were "fabricated" scenes depicting him urging his client to inform on drug suppliers in exchange for reduced charges and later helping Lee escape to Mexico.

In 1986, Kahn reached what he described as a "substantial" settlement.

In 2005, Kahn founded Word Power, a series of motivational speaking engagements he made at Southern California high schools to encourage students to improve their communication skills. He also sponsored essay contests in which students wrote about how they overcame obstacles and personal struggles.

Kahn is survived by his sister, Cookie Kahn-Wright; his brother, Ricki Kahn; and two stepchildren, Chris Buford and Kim Buford.

A celebration of Kahn's life will be held in Los Angeles on June 17. Details: (310) 994-4847.

dennis.mclellan@latimes.com

FRENCH DESIGNER TO THE STARS UNVEILS HER LATEST CREATIONS AT LOUPILOU 13050 SAN VINCENTE, BRENTWOOD, CA MAY 28, 2009 7.P.M.

2009-05-27T15:19:00.002-07:00

Loupilou

* 13050 San Vicente Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90049 [map it]
* 310-899-1969

* Hours: Tues-Sat 10am-6pm
Thurs 10am-3pm
* Payment Methods: Call for more information
LADIES ONLY MAY 28, 2009 7 PM. TO 9 PM.

A STORY OF SURVIVAL-ROY LIVINGSTON

2009-03-03T20:14:00.000-08:00

I've known Roy for at least six years. I written about him before. (see below) When i first met him he introduced himself as a guitarist, bassist and someone who had toured the world playing with people like JONI MITCHELL, THE ASSOCIATION and others. He was also a graduate of Hollywood High School in the era of STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT JOHN RITTER. His mother played piano, and she was like a promoter for some of the stars. Roy was adopted and didn't know his real Canadian parents. They may have been killed in a car crash. Anyway Roy's parents discovered early that he had musical talent and later discovered that he has perfect pitch. In fact often he would tell me i was out of tune. Roy did all the music things while in school, was a surfer; in fact he told me a lot of the history of Hollywood and Santa Monica. Then he went to U.C.L.A and got straight A'S majoring in music. He said he didn't have to study much, and he played in bands and was making money while in music while in high school and college. Once he graduated, he was touring the world playing music. Then he served as a medivac in the Vietnam War; he saw lots of blood and helped a lot of soldiers.

I think Roy began drinking when he was young and continued throughout his adult life. And after two failed marriages, he ended up on the street. His belongings supposedly were in storage. However when i first met him I didn't know he slept on the street. He seemed like a good guy; had a lot of musical knowledge, and I would let him sing when I had to go to the bathroom or something. He's helped me on and off all this time except when he was missing for months at a time; he would disappear, and often i didn't know where he was except once I visited him in a nursing home. He had been hit by a car and was recuperating in a nursing home for nearly a year. Also in the past six years, I took him on many gigs, most recently to BOB UDKOFF'S FUNERAL and before that to A GREAT DAY IN L.A. He helps me carry my stuff, and he gets to eat at these gigs!

Roy's health has deterioraged a lot since I've known him. When I first met him he used to read a lot. He was able to push my bag and carry all my stuff with no problem and also walk as fast as I could. However since his last hospitalization, he can only walk slowly and can't carry much; so now I either do the heavy work myself or hire another homeless person. And Roy now takes some kind of heart medicine.

Despite all this, Roy has charm, and a very smart young lady 30 years younger was attracted to him, and actually married him in the last year. She and her mother crashed her mother's Mercedes, and the mother died from the accident. Roy's wife was O.K and now works for Merrill Lynch. They had some marital problems, and Roy was on the street again.

However today Roy buzzes my apartment and brings me $50 cash, some money I loaned him; He may have owed me more, but I lost track over the years.

SOMEHOW ROY QUALIFED FOR SSI. (SOME FORM OF SOCIAL SECURITY.) HE NOW RECEIVES $900 A MONTH AND IS TRYING TO GET SECTION 8 HOUSING. HE ALWAYS HAD FOOD STAMPS. AND NOW HIS WIFE IS GOING TO TAKE HIM BACK, AND THEY'RE PLANNING TO BUY A HOME ON CATALINA ISLAND. HER MOTHER WAS A WIDOW AND USED TO LIVE IN BRENTWOOD. SO SHE INHERITED SOMETHING.

MIRACLES CAN HAPPEN, BUT I THINK GENERALLY ONLY IN THIS COUNTRY. SOMEONE LIKE ROY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD LONG AGO IN MOST COUNTRIES!

I EVEN INVITED HIM TO VITELLO'S THIS THURSDAY FOR THE BILL CUNLIFFE CD RELEASE BECAUSE ROY LOVES THE MUSIC.

FIRESIDE CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL RESIDENTS 2-9-09 SANTA MONICA, CA

2009-02-09T19:52:00.015-08:00

The young man in the front left RONNIE PARKS who sang with CHARLIE SPIVAK AND GUY LOMBARDO. MOODY'S COUSIN IS IN THE MIDDLE AND LET OUT A SCREAM ON THE SECOND CHORUS OF "A BALLAD FOR BARACK". he also added an "AMEN", when i finished; you can hear it on the recording. www.jamwave.com/wenmew7. LORRAINE, the front right is very familiar with the GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK. i expect to play the entire week at the nursing home as this is the worst weather week in Santa Monica.

Shortly before 1900, my ancestors arrived in California hoping to find gold! however much to their dismay, they didn't find any!

2009-05-07T20:27:00.000-07:00

in later years, none of my family ever discovered gold; however in 2009, i think i have more gold than any of my family members, at least five gold crowns and inlays. not only that i also have GREAT BLACK MUSIC which is pure gold!

THIS IS THE WAY MY MOM MAY JAN MEW LOOKED AS SHE GREETED THOUSANDS OF IMMIGRANTS FOR OVER 40 YEARS!

2009-04-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

MY MOM BEING BILINGUAL WAS A PIONEER IN HELPING IMMIGRANTS FIND WORK. SHE WORKED HER ENTIRE LIFE FOR THE CALIFORNIA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SOME 40 PLUS YEARS. my mom was able to sell employers on hiring some hard working asian immigrants!

some of the people who she placed as waiters in chinatown later became millionaires, and they remembered my mother. my mom was never one to sit still. once she retired she was selling cars for FORD MOTOR company, and it looks as if FORD MOTOR WILL MAKE IT WITHOUT TAKING GOVERNMENT MONEY. i recently drove a FORD FOCUS to bay area and back; not bad, not like the PORSCHE i once owned or my present TOYOTA CELICA. but with another MUSTANG, i think FORD CAN MAKE IT.

MY MOM ALSO VOLUNTEERED AT MASTICK SENIOR CENTER IN ALAMEDA, OUR HOMETOWN WHERE I WAS RAISED, PLAYED SPORTS AND MUSIC. SHE WOULD STILL BE THERE VOLUNTEERING, BUT RIGHT NOW SHE'S AT KAISER OAKLAND. (she can still drive unlike the guy who plowed through the santa monica farmers market.)she doesn't want any more operations (scroll below); so she'll have to live with the pain of stomach cancer. SHE'S A FIGHTER! she loved to socialize with her colleagues in EASTERN STAR!

she instilled in me and my brothers the strength to do our best in whatever we decided to do. for me right now is trying to play like BIRD! but i'm realistic; i just do the best i can.

and the reason i'm a musician i believe is because my mom sang to me when i was a baby. she's not a professional singer. but my family on both sides like to sing. MY UNCLE HARRY WANTED TO BE A CHINESE PAUL ROBESON, BUT PAUL HIMSELF HAD PROBLEMS, CAN YOU IMAGINE A CHINESE OPERA SINGER?

so i heard music when i was very young. i didn't scat with louie and ella when i was two like ROBERTA GAMBARINI, but i knew BLUE SKIES, THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE, I'M LOOKING OVER A FOUR LEAF CLOVER, APRIL SHOWERS, TEA FOR TWO and others by the time i began kindergarten. THEN WHEN i began saxophone in the 6th grade, i began playing DEEP PURPLE, TENDERLY and other tunes my mom liked. am still trying to play them today.

since i've written about my mom and my family before, i don't want to repeal a lot.(just scroll below) however i learned something about having to continue to START OVER IN LIFE FROM MY MOM AND MY FAMILY.

first when my ancestors landed in california shortly before 1900, can you imagine what they faced? first of all, gold was bullshit. no chinamen were ever going to get any gold claims. so what did they do? my grandmother and great great grandmother happen to be great seamstresses. they were soon sewing jeans for the miners, washing clothes, growing veggies, doing whatever to survive. what happenened when GOLD MINING DRIED UP IN PLACERVILLE? well they migrated to san francisco chinatown; they couldn't live anywhere else. better to stay close to people who look like you. THEN CAME THE 1906 EARTHQUAKE. (SCROLL BELOW TO READ MY GRANDPARENTS DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HAPPENED.) my pregnant grandmother ran from van ness avenue to the dock to escape the flames; she and my grandfather made it to alameda where they began growing veggies and started ALL OVER AGAIN. then they became pioneers in OAKLAND CHINATOWN (NEAR YOSHI'S); my mom was born, then me. (for more scroll below).

i recorded LAMENT today for my mom. i won't be going to the bay area unless things get worse, but MY MOM'S A FIGHTER, I'M GOING TO CALL HER RIGHT NOW!

my HEDGE FUND PARTNER KIM LOAN HUYNH, THE VIETNAMESE WARREN BUFFET

2009-04-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

MS HUYNH SPECIALIZES IN SOLAR ENERGY AND SHIPPING!

WEN RECORDS CD AT FIRESIDE NURSING HOME, SANTA MONICA 1-29-09

2009-01-29T23:29:00.001-08:00

At a time when the global economy is collapsing around us, the last refuge might be the nursing home. so i played for the residents, many of whom have been around and in show business their entire lives. they know the GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK , the lyrics the melodies; so it's a delight to perform there. one resident JAMES MOODY'S cousin requested UNFORGETTABLE, CHARLIE PARKER, AND ARTHUR PRYSOCK. i did my best to oblige. among the tunes recorded, SOPHISTICATED LADY, PRELUDE TO A KISS, PERDIDO, I'M GETTING SENTIMENTAL OVER YOU, BYE BYE BLACKBIRD, I FALL IN LOVE TOO EASILY, THE MORE I SEE YOU, SPEAK LOW, MY FUNNY VALENTINE, OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY, I'VE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO HER FACE, MR. MOODY LOVES BEBOP, and MOODY'S MOOD FOR LOVE.

it was a great afternoon inside even though it was in the 70s outside.

i will be performing more at the FIRESIDE NURSING HOME. THE ACOUSTICS ARE GREAT, and audience is appreciative!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

"OLD FAITHFUL" IN SANTA MONICA!

2008-12-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

SANTA MONICA IS KNOWN AS A FORWARD LOOKING CITY. THEY CREATED THEIR OWN ICE SKATING RINK 4 BLOCKS FROM THE BEACH, AND NOW THEY'VE RECREATED "OLD FAITHFUL" JUST 3 BLOCKS FROM THE BEACH ON SANTA MONICA AVE. BETWEEN 3RD AND FOUTH STREETS.

WHAT A CITY! WWW.SANTAMONICATODAY.COM

AND IT'S IN THE 60S. SUNDAY WAS 68 DEGREES!

MOM'S HOME! SHE BEAT CANCER! UNBELIEVABLE. SHE'S BACK IN HER HOME, HARBOR BAY, ALAMEDA, GATED SITUATION!

2008-12-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

it took about 3 weeks at KAISER. a surgical team led by Dr.
Patel from Yale removed cancerous tissue from my mom's lung. other doctors were two lovely lady
resident surgeons , a chineselady from MT HOLYOKE, WASHINGTON ST.LOUIS AND AN ORANGE COUNTY PERSIAN DOCTOR FROM UNIV. OF CA. SAN DIEGO.

WHAT A TERRIFIC SURGICAL TEAM!

NOW MY MOM'S BACK LISTENING TO LAWRENCE WELK AND NOT ME. BUT THAT'S O.K. SHE ALWAYS SAYS I PLAY TOO MANY NOTES, AND SHE'S RIGHT.

it was my mom who sang to me when i was young, and by the time i entered kindergarten, i already knew BLUE SKIES, THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE, TEA FOR TWO, APRIL SHOWERS,TENDERLY, DEEP PURPLE, et al. pretty heavy music for a young kid, but i'm still playing the same tunes today. THAT IS THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK. too bad kids today aren't exposed to this great music. and then when i was older and began playing saxophone in the 6th grade, my mom's brothers who were in WWII had collected a whole bunch of 78s, BENNY GOODMAN, HARRY JAMES, THE DORSEYS, ARTIE SHAW and the like. their solos would blow my mind. i ask himself at that time, how in the hell can these guys play like that. well, finally years i later, i think i can do it too.

SO YOU SEE, YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE TO BE EXPOSED TO GREAT MUSIC, OTHERWISE, THEIR MINDS AND EARS ARE NOT LIKELY TO DEVELOP.

I FEEL BLESSED BECAUSE OF MY MOM, AND EVEN THOUGH SHE SAYS "WHY DON'T YOU GET A JOB INSTEAD OF BLOWING THAT HORN ALL DAY", SHE STILL LOVES ME, AND I LOVE HER!

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO SENT GOOD WISHES AND PRAYERS!

LOVE,

WEN

LET'S PUT OUR PROBLEMS IN PERSPECTIVE!

2008-10-07T00:59:00.000-07:00

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Attila the Hun
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
"Attila" redirects here. For other uses, see Attila (disambiguation).
"The Scourge of God" redirects here. For the film, see The Scourge of God (film). For the novel by S. M. Stirling, see The Scourge of God (novel).
Attila the Hun
(King of the Huns), as seen in Chronicon Pictum
Reign 434–453
Born 406
Birthplace Pannonia
Died 453
Place of death Jazberin
Predecessor Bleda & Rugila
Successor Ellac
Father Mundzuk

Attila (406 – 453), also known as Attila the Hun or the Scourge of God, was leader of the Huns from 434 until his death. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire which stretched from Germany to the Ural River and from the River Danube to the Baltic Sea (see map below). During his rule he was one of the most fearsome of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires' enemies: he invaded the Balkans twice, he marched through Gaul (modern France) as far as Orleans before being defeated at the Battle of Chalons. He refrained from attacking either Constantinople or Rome. His propaganda, that the Sword of Attila had come to his hand by miraculous means, was reported by the Roman Priscus.

In much of Western Europe, he is remembered as the epitome of cruelty and rapacity. In contrast, some histories and Chronicles lionize him as a great and noble king, and he plays major roles in three Norse sagas.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Background
* 2 Shared kingship
* 3 Sole ruler
* 4 Attila in the west
* 5 Invasion of Italy and death
* 6 Appearance, character, and name
* 7 Literary and Cultural Representations
o 7.1 Literature: Historical/Biographical
o 7.2 Literature: Historical fiction based on Attila the Hun
o 7.3 Comedic Examples
+ 7.3.1 Movies/TV
+ 7.3.2 Cartoons/Books
o 7.4 Musical references
o 7.5 TV/Movies
o 7.6 Other Cultural References
* 8 References
o 8.1 Primary sources
o 8.2 Notes

[edit] Background

Main article: Huns

The origin of the Huns has been the subject of debate for centuries; however it can be said with general agreement that they may have been a confederation of Central Asian and European tribes, many of them nomadic horsemen. Many experts think they may have been Turkic people, descended from the Xiongnu tribes that menaced China as early as the 5th century BC. The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi, built part of the Great Wall to keep the Xiongnu out.

Their united power appeared or began to form in Europe in the 400s. They achieved military superiority over their neighbours by their readiness for battle, unusual mobility, and weapons, including the composite bow.

[edit] Shared kingship
The Hunnic Empire stretched from the steppes of Central Asia into modern Germany, and from the River Danube to the Baltic Sea - albeit not simultaneously, as the Huns first appeared in Southern Russia and later moved to Central Europe
The Hunnic Empire stretched from the steppes of Central Asia into modern Germany, and from the River Danube to the Baltic Sea - albeit not simultaneously, as the Huns first appeared in Southern Russia and later moved to Central Europe

The death of Rugila (also known as Rua or Ruga) in 434 left his nephews Attila Dragomer and Bleda (also known as Buda), the sons of his brother Mundzuk, in control over all the united Hun tribes. At the time of their accession, the Huns were bargaining with Byzantine emperor Theodosius II's envoys over the return of several renegades (possibly Hunnic nobles not in agreement with the brothers' leadership) who had taken refuge within the Byzantine Empire. The following year Attila and Bleda met with the imperial legation at Margus (present-day Požarevac) and, all seated on horseback in the Hunnic manner, negotiated a successful treaty: the Romans agreed not only to return the fugitives, but also to double their previous tribute of 350 Roman pounds (ca. 114.5 kg) of gold, open their markets to Hunnish traders, and pay a ransom of eight solidi for each Roman taken prisoner by the Huns. The Huns, satisfied with the treaty, decamped from the empire and returned to their home in the Hungarian Great Plain, perhaps to consolidate and strengthen their empire. Theodosius used this opportunity to strengthen the walls of Constantinople, building the city's first sea wall, and to build up his border defences along the Danube.

The Huns remained out of Roman sight for the next few years as a Hunnic force invaded the Persian Empire. A defeat in Armenia by the Sassanid Persians caused them to abandon this attempt and return their attentions to Europe. In 440 they reappeared in force on the borders of the Roman Empire, attacking the merchants at the market on the north bank of the Danube that had been established by the treaty. Crossing the Danube they laid waste to Illyrian cities and forts on the river, among them, according to Priscus, Viminacium, which was a city of the Moesians in Illyria. Their advance began at Margus, for when the Romans discussed handing over the offending bishop, he slipped away secretly to the Huns and betrayed the city to them.

As Theodosius had conquered the river's defences, the Vandals, under the leadership of Geiseric, captured the Western Roman province of Africa with its capital of Carthage in 440 and the Sassanid Shah Yazdegerd II invaded Armenia in 441. Stripping the Balkan defenses of forces requested by the West Romans, in order to launch an attack on the Vandals in Africa (which was the richest province of the Western empire and a main source of the food supply of Rome) left Attila and Bleda a clear path through Illyria into the Balkans, which they invaded in 441. The Hunnish army, having sacked Margus and Viminacium, took Singidunum (modern Belgrade) and Sirmium before halting. A lull followed in 442 and during this time Theodosius recalled his troops from Sicily and ordered a large new issue of coins to finance operations against the Huns. Having made these preparations, he thought it safe to refuse the Hunnish kings' demands.

Attila responded with a campaign in 443. Striking along the Danube, the Huns overran the military centres of Ratiara and successfully besieged Naissus (modern Niš) with battering rams and rolling towers—military sophistication that was new to the Hun repertoire—then pushing along the Nisava they took Serdica (Sofia), Philippopolis (Plovdiv), and Arcadiopolis. They encountered and destroyed the Roman army outside Constantinople and were stopped by the double walls of the Eastern capital. A second army was defeated near Callipolis (modern Gallipoli) and Theodosius, now without any armed forces to respond, admitting defeat, sent the court official Anatolius to negotiate peace terms, which were harsher than the previous treaty: the Emperor agreed to hand over 6,000 Roman pounds (ca. 1,963 kg) of gold as punishment for having disobeyed the terms of the treaty during the invasion; the yearly tribute was tripled, rising to 2,100 Roman pounds (ca. 687 kg) in gold; and the ransom for each Roman prisoner rose to 12 solidi.

Their demands met for a time, the Hun kings withdrew into the interior of their empire. According to Jordanes (following Priscus), sometime during the peace following the Huns' withdrawal from Byzantium (probably around 445), Bleda died (killed by his brother, according to the classical sources), and Attila took the throne for himself.[1]

[edit] Sole ruler
Mór Than's painting The Feast of Attila, based on a fragment of Priscus (depicted at right, dressed in white and holding his history): "When evening began to draw in, torches were lighted, and two barbarians came forward in front of Attila and sang songs which they had composed, hymning his victories and his great deeds in war. And the banqueters gazed at them, and some were rejoiced at the songs, others became excited at heart when they remembered the wars, but others broke into tears—those whose bodies were weakened by time and whose spirit was compelled to be at rest.
Mór Than's painting The Feast of Attila, based on a fragment of Priscus (depicted at right, dressed in white and holding his history):
"When evening began to draw in, torches were lighted, and two barbarians came forward in front of Attila and sang songs which they had composed, hymning his victories and his great deeds in war. And the banqueters gazed at them, and some were rejoiced at the songs, others became excited at heart when they remembered the wars, but others broke into tears—those whose bodies were weakened by time and whose spirit was compelled to be at rest.

In 447 Attila again rode south into the empire through Moesia. The Roman army under the Gothic magister militum Arnegisclus met him in the Battle of the Utus and was defeated, though not without inflicting heavy losses. The Huns were left unopposed and rampaged through the Balkans as far as Thermopylae. Constantinople itself was saved by the intervention of the prefect Flavius Constantinus who organized the reconstruction of the walls that had been previously damaged by earthquakes, and, in some places, to construct a new line of fortification in front of the old. An account of this invasion survives:

The barbarian nation of the Huns, which was in Thrace, became so great that more than a hundred cities were captured and Constantinople almost came into danger and most men fled from it. … And there were so many murders and blood-lettings that the dead could not be numbered. Ay, for they took captive the churches and monasteries and slew the monks and maidens in great numbers.
—Callinicus, in his Life of Saint Hypatius

[edit] Attila in the west

In 450 Attila had proclaimed his intent to attack the powerful Visigoth kingdom of Toulouse, making an alliance with Emperor Valentinian III in order to do so. He had previously been on good terms with the Western Roman Empire and its de facto ruler Flavius Aëtius. Aëtius had spent a brief exile among the Huns in 433, and the troops Attila provided against the Goths and Bagaudae had helped earn him the largely honorary title of magister militum in the west. The gifts and diplomatic efforts of Geiseric, who opposed and feared the Visigoths, may also have influenced Attila's plans.

However Valentinian's sister was Honoria, who, in order to escape her forced betrothal to a Roman senator, had sent the Hunnish king a plea for help – and her engagement ring – in the spring of 450. Though Honoria may not have intended a proposal of marriage, Attila chose to interpret her message as such. He accepted, asking for half of the western Empire as dowry. When Valentinian discovered the plan, only the influence of his mother Galla Placidia convinced him to exile, rather than kill, Honoria. He also wrote to Attila strenuously denying the legitimacy of the supposed marriage proposal. Attila, not convinced, sent an emissary to Ravenna to proclaim that Honoria was innocent, that the proposal had been legitimate, and that he would come to claim what was rightfully his.
The general path of the Hun forces in the invasion of Gaul, leading up to the Battle of Chalons.
The general path of the Hun forces in the invasion of Gaul, leading up to the Battle of Chalons.

Attila also interfered in a succession struggle after the death of a Frankish ruler. Attila supported the elder son, while Aëtius supported the younger.[2]

Attila gathered his vassals—Gepids, Ostrogoths, Rugians, Scirians, Heruls, Thuringians, Alans, Burgundians, among others and began his march west. In 451 he arrived in Belgica with an army exaggerated by Jordanes to half a million strong. J.B. Bury believes that Attila's intent, by the time he marched west, was to extend his kingdom – already the strongest on the continent – across Gaul to the Atlantic Ocean.[3]

On April 7, he captured Metz. Other cities attacked can be determined by the hagiographic vitae written to commemorate their bishops: Nicasius was slaughtered before the altar of his church in Rheims; Servatus is alleged to have saved Tongeren with his prayers, as Saint Genevieve is to have saved Paris.[4] Lupus, bishop of Troyes, is also credited with saving his city by meeting Attila in person.[5]

Aëtius moved to oppose Attila, gathering troops from among the Franks, the Burgundians, and the Celts. A mission by Avitus, and Attila's continued westward advance, convinced the Visigoth king Theodoric I (Theodorid) to ally with the Romans. The combined armies reached Orleans ahead of Attila,[6] thus checking and turning back the Hunnish advance. Aëtius gave chase and caught the Huns at a place usually assumed to be near Catalaunum (modern Châlons-en-Champagne). The two armies clashed in the Battle of Chalons, whose outcome is commonly considered to be a Pyrrhic victory for the Visigothic-Roman alliance. Theodoric was killed in the fighting and Aëtius failed to press his advantage, according to Edward Gibbon and Edward Creasy because he feared the consequences of an overwhelming Visogothic triumph as much as he did a defeat. From Aëtius' point of view, the best outcome was what occurred: Theodoric died, Attila was in retreat and disarray, and the Romans had the benefit of appearing victorious.

[edit] Invasion of Italy and death
Raphael's The Meeting between Leo the Great and Attila shows Leo I, with Saint Peter and Saint Paul above him, going to meet Attila
Raphael's The Meeting between Leo the Great and Attila shows Leo I, with Saint Peter and Saint Paul above him, going to meet Attila

Attila returned in 452 to claim his marriage to Honoria anew, invading and ravaging Italy along the way. The city of Venice was founded as a result of these attacks when the residents fled to small islands in the Venetian Lagoon. His army sacked numerous cities and razed Aquileia completely, leaving no trace of it behind. Legend has it he built a castle on top of a hill north of Aquileia to watch the city burn, thus founding the town of Udine, where the castle can still be found. Aëtius, who lacked the strength to offer battle, managed to harass and slow Attila's advance with only a shadow force. Attila finally halted at the River Po. By this point disease may have broken out in Attila's camp, thus helping to stop his invasion.

At the wish of Emperor Valentinian III, Pope Leo I, accompanied by the Consul Avienus and the Prefect Trigetius, 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.[7] Prosper of Aquitaine gives a short, reliable description of the historic meeting. The later anonymous account,[8] a pious "fable which has been represented by the pencil of Raphael and the chisel of Algardi" (as Gibbon called it) says that the Pope, aided by Saint Peter and Saint Paul, convinced him to turn away from the city, promising Attila that if he left in peace, one of his successors would receive a holy crown.[9] Priscus reports that superstitious fear of the fate of Alaric—who died shortly after sacking Rome in 410—gave him pause.
An illustration of the meeting from the Chronicon Pictum, ca. 1360.
An illustration of the meeting from the Chronicon Pictum, ca. 1360.

After Attila left Italy and returned to his palace across the Danube, he planned to strike at Constantinople again and reclaim the tribute which Marcian had cut off. (Marcian was the successor of Theodosius and had ceased paying tribute in late 450 while Attila was occupied in the west; multiple invasions by the Huns and others had left the Balkans with little to plunder.) However Attila died in the early months of 453. The conventional account, from Priscus, says that at a feast celebrating his latest marriage to the beautiful and young Ildico (if uncorrupted, the name suggests a Gothic origin)[10] he suffered a severe nosebleed and choked to death in a stupor. An alternative theory is that he succumbed to internal bleeding after heavy drinking or a condition called esophageal varices, where a hemorrhoid in the lower part of the esophagus ruptures leaving the person to choke on his/her own blood.

Another account of his death, first recorded 80 years after the events by the Roman chronicler Count Marcellinus, reports that "Attila, King of the Huns and ravager of the provinces of Europe, was pierced by the hand and blade of his wife."[11] The Volsunga saga and the Poetic Edda also claim that King Atli (Attila) died at the hands of his wife, Gudrun.[12] Most scholars reject these accounts as no more than hear-say, preferring instead the account given by Attila's contemporary Priscus. Priscus' version, however, has recently come under renewed scrutiny by Michael A. Babcock.[13] Based on detailed philological analysis, Babcock concludes that the account of natural death, given by Priscus, was an ecclesiastical "cover story" and that Emperor Marcian (who ruled the Eastern Roman Empire from 450-457) was the political force behind Attila's death.

Jordanes says, "the greatest of all warriors should be mourned with no feminine lamentations and with no tears, but with the blood of men." His horsemen galloped in circles around the silken tent where Attila lay in state, singing in his dirge, according to Cassiodorus and Jordanes, "Who can rate this as death, when none believes it calls for vengeance?" then celebrated a strava (lamentation) over his burial place with great feasting. Legend says that he was laid to rest in a triple coffin made of gold, silver, and iron, along with some of the spoils of his conquests. His men diverted a section of the river Tisza, buried the coffin under the riverbed, and then were killed to keep the exact location a secret.

His sons Ellac (his appointed successor), Dengizich, and Ernakh fought over the division of his legacy, specifically which vassal kings would belong to which brother. As a consequence they were divided, defeated and scattered the following year in the Battle of Nedao by the Ostrogoths and the Gepids under Ardaric. According to Jordanes, Ardaric, who was once Attila's most prized chieftain, turned against the feuding brothers when he felt that they were treating the nations they ruled as slaves.

Attila's many children and relatives are known by name and some even by deeds, but soon valid genealogical sources all but dry up and there seems to be no verifiable way to trace Attila's descendants. This hasn't stopped many genealogists from attempting to reconstruct a valid line of descent for various medieval rulers. One of the most credible claims has been that of the tsars of Bulgaria (see Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans). A popular, but ultimately unconfirmed attempt tries to relate Attila to Charlemagne (see Attila the Hun to Charlemagne).

[edit] Appearance, character, and name

There is no surviving first-person account of Attila's appearance. There is, however, a possible second-hand source, provided by Jordanes, who claimed Priscus described Attila as:

short of stature, with a broad chest and a large head; his eyes were small, his beard thin and sprinkled with grey; and he had a flat nose and tanned skin, showing evidence of his origin.

Attila from an illustration to the Poetic Edda.
Attila from an illustration to the Poetic Edda.

Attila is known in Western history and tradition as the grim flagellum dei (Latin: "Scourge of God"), and his name has become a byword for cruelty and barbarism. Some of this may have arisen from confusion between him and later steppe warlords such as Genghis Khan and Tamerlane. All are considered to be cruel, clever, and blood-thirsty lovers of battle and pillage. The reality of his character is probably more complex. The Huns of Attila's era had been mingling with Roman civilisation for some time, largely through the Germanic foederati of the border, so that by the time of Theodosius's embassy in 448 Priscus could identify two primary languages among the Huns, Gothic and Hunnic, with some people knowing Latin and Greek. Priscus also recounts his meeting with an eastern Roman captive who had so fully assimilated into the Huns' way of life that he had no desire to return to his former country, and the Byzantine historian's description of Attila's humility and simplicity is unambiguous in its admiration.

The origin of Attila's name is not known with confidence, because very little is known about Hunnic names. In the Hunnic language Danube-Bulgarian, the etymology "oceanic (universal) [ruler]" has been proposed.[14] Also the word possibly originates from Turkic Atyl/Atal/Atil/Itil meaning water, river (also, ancient name of Volga river) with adjective suffix -ly. (Compare also Turkic medieval notable title atalyk - "senior as father").[15][16][17] This is correlating to the fact that the Polish Chronicle is using Attila's name as Aquila bearing the Latin aqua inside. Others believe that the name may have connection to Hungarian Ítélet meaning judgement or Old-Turkic via the loandword in Gothic (or Gepid) atta ("father") and the diminutive suffix -ila.[18] Attila was not a rare name in Central Europe prior to Attila making his mark on history; the historical record shows numerous persons with the name preceding him. 'Attila' has many variants: Atli and Atle in Norse, Ætla, Attle and Atlee in English, Attila/Atilla/Etele in Hungarian (all the three name variants are used in Hungary; Attila is the most popular variant), Etzel in modern German or Attila, Atila or Atilla in modern Turkish.

[edit] Literary and Cultural Representations

Attila has been portrayed in various ways, sometimes as a noble ruler, sometimes as a cruel barbarian.

[edit] Literature: Historical/Biographical

* Hungarian poet János Arany wrote an epic poem about Attila and his brother Bleda called Buda halála (The Death of King Buda) which is part of a larger work titled A Csaba-trilógia (The Csaba Trilogy).
* Babcock, Michael A. (2005) The Night Attila Died: Solving the Murder of Attila the Hun (Berkley Publishing Group, ISBN 0-425-20272-0)
* Blockley, R.C. (1983) The Fragmentary Classicising Historians of the Later Roman Empire, vol. II (ISBN 0-905205-15-4). This is a collection of fragments from Priscus, Olympiodorus, and others, with original text and translation.
* Burgess, Anthony. This British writer wrote a biographical novella about Attila entitled Hun which was published in the story collection The Devil's Mode (1989).
* Hungarian Géza Gárdonyi's novel A láthatatlan ember (1901) (published in English as Slave of the Huns and largely based on Priscus) offered a sympathetic portrait of Attila as a wise and beloved leader. This reflects the positive way in which Attila, his last wife Ildikó and his brother Bleda are viewed in Hungary and Turkey.
* Gordon, C. D. (1960) The Age of Attila: Fifth-century Byzantium and the Barbarians (Ann Arbor, University of Michigan Press, ISBN 0472061119). This is a translated collection, with commentary and annotation, of ancient writings on the subject, including Priscus.
* Heather, Peter (2005) The Fall of the Roman Empire—A New History of Rome and the Barbarians (Oxford University Press, ISBN 0195159543)
* The Death of Attila by Cecelia Holland (1973) takes place in 453, with the tensions and uncertainty of Attila's last year being the background for an unlikely friendship between Tacs, a young, ne'er-do-well Hunnish warrior, and Dietric, son of a Germanic subject king.
* Howarth, Patrick (1994) Attila, King of the Huns: The Man and the Myth (ISBN 0786709308).
* Maenchen-Helfen, J. Otto (1973) The World of the Huns: Studies in Their History and Culture (Berkeley, University of California Press, ISBN 0520015967)
* Man, John (2005) Attila: A Barbarian King and the Fall of Rome (Bantam Press, ISBN 0-593-05291-9)
* Thompson, E. A. (1948) A History of Attila and the Huns (London, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0837176409). This is the authoritative English work on the subject. It was reprinted in 1999 as The Huns in the Peoples of Europe series (ISBN 0-631-21443-7). Thompson did not enter controversies over Hunnic origins and considers his victories to have been achieved only when there was no concerted opposition.

[edit] Literature: Historical fiction based on Attila the Hun

* Costain, Thomas. (1959) The Darkness and Dawn is written from the point of view of Nicolan, carried into slavery from his home on the Danube and after many adventures becoming Attila's aide - but also becoming romantically involved with the beautiful Ildico, which is quite dangerous.
* Dietrich, William. (2005) The Scourge of God: A Novel of the Roman Empire (HarperTorch, ISBN 978-0060735081) See [2]

Set in the final days of the Roman Empire, Dietrich's fifth novel follows the attempt of Attila the Hun to conquer the West.

* Napier, William. Attila is a powerful and charismatic figure in Bill Napier's ongoing trilogy, Attila
o Attila (Orion Books Ltd, 2005) ISBN 0-7528-7787-9) See [3]).
o The Gathering of the Storm (Orion Books Ltd, 2007) ISBN 978-0-75287-433-3)
o Date of publishing of the third book in the trilogy unknown.
* Seredy, Kate wrote the novel The White Stag, the Newbery Medal winning book of 1938, which is a retelling of the legend of the rise of Attila the Hun written in lyric prose.
* In the German epic Nibelungenlied Etzel is portrayed as a noble and generous ally, while Atli in the Volsunga Saga and the Poetic Edda (and Ætla in Widsith) is a cruel miser.

[edit] Comedic Examples

Though not typically associated with light-heartedness, Attila (or his stereotype) has been invoked in a comedic way:

[edit] Movies/TV

* Attila is the protagonist of the Italian comedy movie, Attila, flagello di Dio, directed by Castellano and Pipolo, and staring Diego Abatantuono. This 1982 film has become a cult classic, and is a prime example of Italian cinema trash of the 1980s. It is still very well known among Italy's younger generations.
* In Woody Allen's satirical film Love and Death, Diane Keaton's character justifies a plan to assassinate Napoleon based on this alleged quote by Attila: "Violence is justified in the service of mankind".
* In "Scrooged" starring Bill Murray, The Ghost of Christmas Past (David Johansen) makes reference to having visited Attila the Hun, who cried like "Niagara Falls" upon seeing his younger mother in vision.
* Episode 20 of Monty Python's Flying Circus is titled "The Attila the Hun Show", featuring Attila and his family (and also Uncle Tom who apparently is Attila's butler), as sitcom characters, as well as parody characters Attila the Nun and Attila the Bun.
* In the movie The Return of the Pink Panther, the Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) quotes, "Compared to [Inspector] Clouseau (Peter Sellers), Attila the Hun was a Red Cross volunteer."
* In an episode of the early 1960s sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show, the character Rob Petrie belts out a ditty called "I'm In Love With Attila the Hun" which he co-wrote with an old army buddy. In a 1967 episode of That Girl titled "Author, Author", Ann's fiance, the character of Donald Hollinger, sings and claims credit to the exact same tune. The song was also used in an episode of Good Morning World.
* Attila shared his name in a TMNT episode Invasion Of The Punk Frogs with one of the frogs Shredder found and trained. He carries a flail.
* In an episode of The Monkees TV show, The Devil & Peter Tork, Attila appears in the courtroom scene as an Asian warrior, probably confused with Genghis Khan, & speaks a language not unlike Chinese or Mongolian.
* He appeared as a hologram on the "Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch" episode of Futurama. He demonstrates physics knowledge later on the episode, realising uncontrolled decompression would happen inside the characters' space ship if ripped.

[edit] Cartoons/Books

* The comic strip character Broom-Hilda is supposedly Attila's ex-wife.
* Another comic strip, The Wizard of Id, features occasional invasions by The Huns.
* In Will Cuppy's satirical European history book, The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody, he makes fun of the question of how to pronounce Attila's name: "Attila does not rhyme with vanilla as it used to in my day. It is believed that, if children can be taught to accent Attila on the first syllable, things may take a turn for the better."

[edit] Musical references

* The Norwegian black metal band Dimmu Borgir made a song praising Attila called "Hunnerkongens Sorgsvarte Ferd Over Steppene"which translates to "The King of the Huns' Sorrowful Black Journey over the Plains".
* Heavy metal band Iced Earth put a song named "Attila" on their album The Glorious Burden. The song tells of Attila's reign as ruler.
* The British heavy metal band Saxon wrote a song called "Attila the Hun" which was included on their 2006 album, "The Inner Sanctum."
* Hungarian musician Levente Szörényi (from the band Illés), wrote a rock opera titled Attila, Isten kardja (Attila, Sword of God).
* Opera by Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901). The libretto by Temistocle Solera, is based on the play Attila, König der Hunnen ("Attila, King of the Huns") by Zacharias Werner. Premiered at the Teatro La Fenice, Venice, on March 17, 1846.
* Hungarian folk metal band Dalriada wrote a song about his greatness of Attila the Hun - the forefather of the Hungarians. This track called "Égnek ostora" (Scourge of the Sky) and included on their 2008 album, "Szelek" (Winds).

[edit] TV/Movies

* Anthony Quinn played the role of Attila in a film co-starring Sophia Loren as Honoria.
* Attila was portrayed by Jack Palance in Douglas Sirk's Sign of the Pagan (1954).
* In Shawn Levy's children's film Night at the Museum, a wax mannequin of Attila at the American Museum of Natural History, along with everything else in the museum, is brought to life on a nightly basis via an ancient Egyptian curse and acts as an enemy though eventually a friend to the protagonist; a museum night-watchman. He is incorrectly depicted in the film as being East Asian. His destructiveness as an adult is attributed to a heartbreaking experience he had as a child.
* A TV miniseries, Attila, which was produced in 2000 and was broadcast in 2001, stars Gerard Butler as Attila and Powers Boothe as Flavius Aëtius.

[edit] Other Cultural References

* In Dante's The Divine Comedy, Attila appears in the seventh circle of Hell, immersed in a river of boiling blood, and is called "the scourge of Earth". Dante also charges him with the destruction of Florence, but this is a blunder by the author, who has confused him with the Ostrogothic warlord Totila.
* In Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula, the titular character expresses his pride at his Székely heritage and notes his believed descent from Attila. Historically, however, Vlad Dracula was an ethnic Vlach with no clear link to Attila.
* The PC game Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion has a single player campaign involving Attila's conquests.
* In the PC game Rome: Total War: Barbarian Invasion the huns are a playable faction.
* A popular aphorism is to speak of extreme right-wing politicians or ultra-conservative businessmen as being To the right of Attila the Hun. [19]
* Margaret Thatcher was widely nicknamed 'Attila the Hen' when she was British Prime Minister

[edit] References

[edit] Primary sources

* Priscus: Byzantine History, available in the original Greek in Ludwig Dindorf : Historici Graeci Minores (Leipzig, Teubner, 1870) and available online as a translation by J.B. Bury: Priscus at the court of Attila
* Jordanes: The Origin and Deeds of the Goths

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Priscus of Panium: fragments from the Embassy to Attila
2. ^ The location and identity of these kings is not known and subject to conjecture.
3. ^ J.B. Bury, The Invasion of Europe by the Barbarians, lecture IX (e-text)
4. ^ The vitae are summarized in Thomas Hodgkin, Italy and Her Invaders (New York: Russell & Russell, 1967 reprint of the original 1880–89 edition), volume II pp. 128ff.
5. ^ St. Lupus - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online
6. ^ Later accounts of the battle site the Huns either already within the city or in the midst of storming it when the Roman-Visigoth army arrived; Jordanes mentions no such thing. See Bury, ibid.
7. ^ "Pope St. Leo I (the Great)" in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia.
8. ^ Medieval Sourcebook, Leo I and Attila, [1]
9. ^ Chronicon Pictum, this is the first occasion when an artist presented an angel graphically
10. ^ Thompson, The Huns, p. 164.
11. ^ Marcellinus Comes, Chronicon (e-text), quoted in Hector Munro Chadwick: The Heroic Age (London, Cambridge University Press, 1926), p. 39 n. 1.
12. ^ Volsunga Saga, Chapter 39; Poetic Edda, Atlamol En Grönlenzku, The Greenland Ballad of Atli
13. ^ Babcock, Michael A. The Night Attila Died: Solving the Murder of Attila the Hun, Berkley Books, 2005 ISBN 0-425-20272-0
14. ^ Omeljan Pritsak (1982), "Hunnic names of the Attila clan", Harvard Ukrainian Studies VI: p. 444,
15. ^ "Europe: The Origins of the Huns", by Kessler Associate, based on conversations with Kemal Cemal, Turkey, 2002
16. ^ The World of the Huns. Chapter IX. Language - O. Maenchen-Helfen
17. ^ Gene Expression
18. ^ Maenchen-Helfen, Otto (1973). "Chapter 9.4", The World of the Huns. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0520015968.
19. ^ Attila the Hun:

Preceded by
Rugila Hunnic rulers
jointly with Bleda
434 – 445 Succeeded by
Ellac

Template:Link SM

Persondata
NAME Attila the Hun
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Scourge of God
SHORT DESCRIPTION Khan of the Huns from 434 until his death
DATE OF BIRTH 406
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH 453
PLACE OF DEATH

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attila_the_Hun"
Categories: Ancient people • History of Hungary • Late Antiquity • Huns • Turkic rulers • 406 births • 453 deaths • Deaths from choking
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those of you who know me know my favorite quote is "one's life is insignificant compared to the universe" from Tolstoy's WAR AND PEACE.

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a guy in PORTER RANCH who was renting a home valued at nearly a million dollars blew off his family of six and killed himself today, one reason economic stress. more of these stories will surface in coming months. sometimes one feels trapped and cannot see any other alternative.

i've been there. in 2000, when i lost everything, i was by myself in santa monica; had no one to talk to; anyone who cared about me was not here. what if i had ended it then? no 300 tracks of music online and the thrill of seeing OBAMA BECOME PRESIDENT.

SO IN THE COMING DAYS, NO MATTER HOW GRIM LIFE MIGHT BECOME AS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE NOW DOWN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, (WHO COULD HAVE PREDICTED THE PRESENT SITUATION?) TALK TO SOMEONE. YOU CAN EMAIL ME. I'M NO PSYCHIATRIST, BUT I'VE BEEN THERE!

WENMEW@VERIZON.NET

wen mew, saxophonist, flutist, journalist, attorney

2008-09-15T08:09:00.001-07:00

BUSINESS CARD BY VISTA PRINT!

NO ONE WOULD LISTEN TO MY MEWSIC, BUT I FINALLY FOUND SOMEONE!

2008-09-06T18:10:00.000-07:00

A FEW OF THE YOUNG LADY BEBOPPERS IN SANTA MONICA!

2008-08-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

DR. MARISA AT WORK AUGUST 13, 2008!

2008-08-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

WEN HAS AT LEAST FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF DENTAL WORK AHEAD!

WEN'S DENTIST DR. MARISA!

2008-08-14T19:50:00.000-07:00

U.C.L.A DENTAL SCHOOL LEADS THE NATIONS'S DENTAL SCHOOLS IN THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS. ONLY SIX PERCENT ARE ACCEPTED. DR. MARISA DID HER UNDERGRADUATE WORK AT U.C.RIVERSIDE. HER MOTHER'S A DENTIST AS WELL.

NUCLEAR POWER, THE GOLD OF 2008 AND BEYOND!

2008-08-09T23:53:00.000-07:00

shortly before 1900, my ancestors came to his country to improve their lives, find fortune and in some cases GOLD. someone had obviously sold them a bill of goods, and their first stop was PLACERVILLE, CALIFORNIA which was in the last days of the dying california gold rush which began in 1850.

so if the white man was not going to allow chinese immigrants to have gold claims, how in the hell would they survive? well, you have to use a little ingenuity and do whatever. sew jeans for the miners; my grandmother who was born in placerville was an excellent seamstress. i know because she lived into her 90s. she was an excellent cook. so maybe they cooked chinese food for the miners. they knew how to farm, which they did following the san francisco earthquake of 1906 in alameda. they knew how to do laundry; so they probably washed clothes
for the miners.

so then how does my generation find gold? we go to school, study hard, and maybe we make a good living. but not me because i want to play jazz, but i'm the only one to find real gold, GREAT BLACK MUSIC.

but you really can't make a lot of money playing jazz; we're not like the BUSHES who early on found BLACK GOLD.

but lately through my research NUCLEAR POWER may be the gold of the next 50 years or more.

CHINA IS LEADING THE WORLD IN BUILDING NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS. EVERYONE WANTS NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS BECAUSE THEY NEED ELECTRICITY TO USE THEIR LAPTOPS ETC. CHINA NEEDS OVER 300 NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN THE NEXT 50 YEARS.

VIETNAM AND many other countries are going to build their first reactor.
the dictatorships are able to get these projects off the ground first because they do what they want, for there's no such thing as anti nuclear protest against the government.

since 3 mile island, we haven't been able to build a new nuclear plant for the last 30 years. however we must, even though no one wants to live next to a nuclear reactor, and no one wants nuclear waste in their backyard, including the citizens of arizona; so mccain's energy policy prohibits nuclear waste from being transported through arizona on the way to nevada. nevada residents are not happy about being the nation's nuclear dump either. SO WE HAVE PROBLEMS IN THIS COUNTRY.

obama's plan for wind and solar development is great, but those technologies are not that advanced yet. we're years away from wind and solar power. so even if we spend billions on development, we really don't know whether wind and solar energy will work.

WE KNOW NUCLEAR POWER WORKS AND DOESN'T PRESENT THE ENVIRONMENTAL DANGERS OF COAL.

so CHINA IS LEADING THE WORLD IN BUILDING NUCLEAR PLANTS, AND THEY ARE BUILDING THE LARGEST NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP IN CENTRAL CHINA. so if the villagers object, too bad for them.

so how do we profit from this? well it's too late for me to become a nuclear engineer besides i still want to play music.

you can invest in companies which build nuclear power plants, like THE SHAW GROUP, world wide nuclear builders based in BATON ROUGE, LA. however as soon as their five billion dollar deal to build two plants in QUANDONG PROVINCE, CANTON, CHINA, was announced, it's stock on the new york stock exchange jumped 12 percent to $34, and now it's selling between $58 and $63 about 70 times earnings, still not the multiple of some hi tech stocks. so it's probably too late to buy this company. however they will grow because they are one of the few companies in the world which can build nuclear power plants.

GENERAL ELECTRIC, TOSHIBA which bought WESTINGHOUSE, the premiere reactor builder, and companies from RUSSIA, FRANCE, SOUTH KOREA AND CHINA are all bidding to build plants in Vietnam and Southeast Asia because all these people want to fire up their laptops. pretty soon african, south american, central american countries will all want nuclear plants too, just like IRAN.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS ONLY FEW COMPANIES CAN BUILD THESE THINGS; THEY TAKE YEARS TO BUILD, AND ONLY SO MANY REACTORS CAN BE BUILT PER YEAR. AND THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH URANIUM AVAILABLE; SO THAT'S WHY URANIUM PRICES LIKE OIL HAVE SKYROCKETED.

VIETNAM WANTS 4 NUCLEAR PLANTS IN OPERATION BY 2025. CHINA WANTS 300. BUT THEY WILL BE LUCKY TO GET A PERCENTAGE OF THAT. INDONESIA WANTS ONE, BUT THE MUSLIMS THERE ARE PROTESTING. THAILAND WANTS ONE BY 2020, BUT THEY HAVE A SEMBLANCE OF DEMOCRACY THERE; SO SOME OF THEIR RESIDENTS ARE PROTESTING.

THE UNITED NATIONS IS BACKING NUCLEAR POWER BECAUSE MOST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES NEED ELECTRICITY. WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, BUT I BET BILL CLINTON'S LAP TOP DIDN'T WORK DURING HIS RECENT TRIP IN AFRICA.

THE FRENCH NUCLEAR INDUSTRY IS VERY ADVANCED BECAUSE THE FRENCH DEPEND ON NUCLEAR POWER FOR 80 PERCENT OF THEIR NEEDS, UNLIKE THE REST OF US WHO HAVE TO USE ENVIRONMENTALLY HARMFUL COAL.

HOWEVER IT'S JAPAN , JAPAN STEEL WORKS LTD. WHICH CONTROLS THE FATE OF THE GLOBAL NUCLEAR-ENERGY RENAISSANCE.

ON HOKKAIDO, there stands the only plant in the world, a survivor of our bombs in WWII, capable of producing THE CENTRAL PART OF A NUCLEAR REACTOR'S CONTAINMENT VESSEL IN A SINGLE PIECE, REDUCING THE RISK OF A RADIATION LEAK. THEY ARE MADE FROM 600 TON INGOTS AND COST HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. BUT THEY CAN ONLY MAKE FOUR A YEAR. THEY ARE PLANNING ON DOUBLING THEIR CAPACITY, BUT THEY STILL CAN'T MEET WORLDWIDE DEMANDS.

THEY WILL COST BETWEEN 300 AND 350 MILLION, SO THEY ARE TAKING 100 MILLION DOLLAR DEPOSITS FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES. EVERYONE WHO WANTS A REACTOR IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OR SO HAS TO BUY FROM JAPAN STEEL RIGHT NOW; SO THAT WHEN THEY COMPLETE THEIR REACTOR, THEY WILL HAVE THIS CONTAINMENT VESSEL. OTHERWISE THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO FIRE UP.

JAPAN STEEL SUPPLIES EVERYONE EXCEPT RUSSIA. THEY MAKE THEIR OWN CONTAINMENT VESSEL. BUT YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED AT CHERNOBLYL. MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT FROM JAPAN STEEL.

SINCE JAPAN STEEL HAS A MONOPOLY, SOUTH KOREA AND A NEW JOINT VENTURE, JAPAN CASTING AND FORGING COMPANY IS TRYING TO GET INTO THE ACT. BUT IT WILL TAKE THEM FIVE YEARS.

JAPAN STEEL STOCK HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED IN THE PAST YEAR, AND INVESTMENT FUNDS ARE ALREADY TAKING THEIR PROFITS.

THIS COMPANY MAKES STEEL OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY, INCLUDING SAMURAI SWORDS WHICH COST A MILLION YEN A PIECE.

cynthia gouw in philly

2008-07-22T00:19:00.000-07:00

AUNTIE SAL, 96 YEARS OF BRILLIANCE, WARMTH AND GENEROSITY!

2008-07-13T21:51:00.000-07:00

MY DAD, THOMAS B. MEW, A GREAT AND GENEROUS MAN!

2008-07-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

OBAMA GOLF SHIRT AVAILABLE! EMAIL WENMEW@VERIZON.NET

2008-07-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

MY AUNT SARAH JAN WHO JUST TURNED 96 AND MY MOM MAY JAN MEW ON THE RIGHT!

2008-07-13T07:51:00.000-07:00

BOTH MY AUNT AND MY MOM WILL BE A YOSHI'S JULY 24TH TO HEAR 90 YEAR OLD HANK JONES AND ROBERTA GAMBARINI! HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!! JACK LONDON SQUARE, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

WENMEW@VERIZON.NET

OBAMA GOLF SHIRT 2XX, XL, L EMAIL WENMEW@VERIZON.NET

2008-06-25T18:58:00.000-07:00

SMALLER SIZES ARE AVAILABLE. EMAIL WENMEW@VERIZON.NET IF I HAVE ANY LEFT, I WILL BRING THEM TO YOSHI'S JULY 24TH, ROBERTA GAMBARINI-HANK JONES, JACK LONDON SQ. OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

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