Atilla The Hun- Quick facts

Leader of the Hunnic Empire which stretched from Germany to the Ural River and from the River Danube to the Baltic Sea

Historians say he was laid to rest in a coffin made of gold, silver and iron. A section of the river Tisza, one of the major rivers whose origin is in Ukraine, was diverted to bury his coffin in the riverbed. Later, the people who buried him were executed by his sons. This was probably done to keep the exact location of his burial a secret.

He defeated the Byzantine emperor, Theodosius II before invading Gaul. By all account his troops had a reputation for cruelty, killing many hundreds of thousands. They were also reported to be cannibals, leaving behind piles of bones!

Attila at first shared the throne with his brother Bleda, but killed him in 445.

In 453 Attila died, ridding the world of one of the most feared and notorious barbarians of all time .