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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 1996-11 > 0846958781


From: Chris Bennett < >
Subject: Re: Attila the Hun
Date: Sat, 2 Nov 1996 10:19:41 -0800


In article < >, Medieval Genealogy
Discussion List < > wrote:

> > Hmmm .... I have noted that he had (at least) two sons, Chaba and
> > Ellak. From Chaba goes the line Edus, Vegecus, Elendus, Almus,
> > Ugyck, Almos, Arpad, Zoltan, Toksun, Michael of Hungary, etc.
> >
> > (Written down years ago, when I was very sloppy with sources -
> > sorry!)
> >
> > Probably highly legendarian, at least before Arpad.
> >
> >
> > Kere Albert Lie
> >
>
> I'm sure it's every bit as true as the Habsburgs' descent from King Priam
> and Julius Caesar's from the goddess Venus. Undoubtedly invented in
> Hungary, when the whole national myth that they were the "younger brothers"
> of the Huns became popular, the late middle ages. Creative genealogy was
> one of the most popular sciences of the time. And it still hasn't faded, as
> examination of some of the royal roots on this List has demonstrated.
>
> I mean, is there the slightest testimony to either of these sons of Attila
> before the 12th century? I didn't think so.
>
> Jean Coeur de Lapin
>

Attila had at least three sons recorded in contemporary sources: Ellac,
Dengelic and Ernak. Ernak survived the battle of the Nedao, and his
branch of the Huns became known as the Kutrigur Huns. The first khans of
the Bulgars, as the Kutrigurs eventualy became known, claimed descent from
Ernak, although the old Bulgarian chronicle quoted by Runciman ("The First
Bulgarian Empire") does not give any names between Ernak and khan Kubrat,
the grandfather of Asperukh, who led the Bulgars into Bulgaria, except for
a 2 year reign of a certain "Gostun" who was not of the royal clan.
Byzantine sources mention some Kutrigur khans in the 6th century: Grod,
succeeded by his brother Mugel in 528; a khan Chinial in c555, succeeded
by Zabergan at that time.

So there is a reasonable case that the early Bulgar khans were descended
from Attila, or at least plausibly claimed such descent. However, so far
as I know the line cannot be traced beyond Tervel, khan of Bulgaria
701-718, son of Asparukh, who was engaged at one point to the daughter of
Justinian II.

Incidentally, the coalition that detsroyed Attila's empire at the Nedao
was led by Ardaric, king of the Gepids, who were, in turn destroyed by the
Lombards about a century later. I have found very little about the
Gepids. Does anyone know of any survey of the evidence regarding them?

Chris

THis information comes from Runciman, and frmo Maenchen-Helfen "The World
of the Huns"

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