Tuesday, May 1, 2018

THE MOST FAMOUS WARRIORS IN HISTORY ― PART IV

BY PRESSROOM

The legacies of these ancient masters of war still astound us. 

Just because you’re a leader doesn’t mean you’re fair and just. Warriors throughout the last thousands of years did incredible things, but they slashed, killed, and maimed thier ways to the very top. These legendary warriors were mere men, but became the supreme lords of exotic lands that it could take a lifetime to travel to. Who’s your favorite conqueror of all time? You may find one here.

Alaric, 410 AD



During Stilicho’s time, unorganized groups of peoples called foederati were used to fortify the Roman Army. Alaric was a Goth who served in the Roman Army in one of these groups, but when he didn’t get a desired promotion, he took up arms against Rome with the Visigoths when Honorius became emperor. Jordanes wrote Alaric and his tribe would “rather seek new kingdoms by their own work, than to slumber in peaceful subjection to the rule of others.”

He led campaigns into the Eastern Roman Empire led by Honorius’s young brother then campaigned in Rome multiple times. He negotiated with Honorius and Stilicho. but decided to take it over anyway. This led to Stilicho’s downfall. Alaric tried to conquer Africa, but died of fever.

Gundahar, 411 AD



While Honorius was on the throne, Burgundian King Gundahar placed a proxy emperor in Gaul so that he could be granted land in the Roman-controlled area, and Honorius eventually granted Gundahar the land to place him in a foederati. Gundahar used his power to try and get the Roman settlers out of the area, turning the tables on the Empire. The Romans called in the ruthless Hun armies to quash his army and kill him.


Attila the Hun, Died 450 AD


Born in modern-day Hungary to royalty, Attila rose to power by murdering his brother. Though Attila was paid hefty sums gold in exchange for not attacking Roman territory or doing the Romans bidding, he decided to betray the Romans and fully invaded present-day France in 450 AD. He pushed into Italy two years later, but a personal plea for peace from Pope Leo I caused him to abandon his conquest and return to Hungary.

A year later, he was found dead the morning after his wedding. Accounts of his cause of death vary from a fatal nosebleed to accidental alcohol poisoning to a murderous conspiracy, possibly involving his new bride.


Vortigern, 394-458 AD


Though his very existence is debated, in lore and legend, Voritgern was said to be the King of the Britons as he recruited Hengist and Horsa to fight off the Scots and Picts to keep his land from their rule. He is regarded as an early British hero.

He may have been the "superbus tyrannus" said to have invited Hengist and Horsa to aid him in fighting the Picts and the Scots. However, they revolted, killing his son in the process and forming the Kingdom of Kent. It is said that he took refuge in North Wales, and that his grave was in Dyfed or the Llŷn Peninsula. He is cited at the beginning of the genealogy of the early Kings of Powys.

From PRESSROOM

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