Patrick Howarth (1916–2004)

This is a thrilling piece of historical reconstruction. Patrick Howarth draws on the wealth of evidence provided by recent archaeological finds, as well as on Hungarian sources not known in the West, to give us the first authentic account of the life of Attila. He also porvides a careful study of the Attila legends which grew up through the centuries, ranging from Roman chronicle through the Nibelungenlied to Hollywood epic. The contrast between fiction and truth is startling. The early show more Christian chroniclers called Attila the Scourge of God and thought he had been sent to punish people for their sins. Italian artists portrayed him with horns. The resulting popular picture was of a bloodthirsty tyrant. Basing his presentation in particular on an account left by a man who dined with Attila and knew his family, Patrick Howarth shows him to have been a man of clemency, tolerance and wisdom, albeit a highly successful man of war. Attila reigned for ony eight years. After consolidating an empire which extended to the Caspian he came near to toppling the Roman Empire in both East and West. At one point he was at the gates of Constantinople, demanding and receiving large tributes in gold. His armies then marched through France and Italy, capturing one great city after another. The sister of a Roman emperor sent him a ring as a proposal of marriage, and he left Italy only after a dramatic meeting with Pope Leo the Great. He died on his wedding night after he returned from Italy. His grave is still being sought. Patrick Howarth is the author of numerous works of history, biography and criticism, including The Year is 1851 (1951) and George VI (1987). Eight programmes of his poetry, ranging in length from fifteen to forty minutes, have been broadcast by BBC Radio 3. A former diplomat, who served in Special Operations, Patrick Howarth has broadcast for the BBC in five lianguages. He has had a long association with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. His series of ten books on the grat art styles, written in collaboration with his wife, is being published in Portugal. He lives in Sherborne, Dorset.. Cover: Plaque in the Pavia Charterhouse showing Attila's head. Jacket design by Splash Studio

Contents Acknowledgements Contemporary rulers 1 A much-maligned people 2 The Huns move west 3 Trial warfare 4 The magnet of empire 5 Attila becomes King of the Huns 6 Attila's kingdom 7 The threat to Constantinople 8 The City Constantine built 9 The Court of Theodosius II 10 A plot to murder Attila 11 The murder plot discovered 12 The weakness of the West 13 The Empress in Ravenna 14 The revival of the Western Empire 15 Proposal of marriage 16 Invasion of France 17 Battle is joined 18 The Catalaunian Fields 19 Invasion of Italy 20 The cities of Lombardy Fall 21 Attlla and the Pope 22 The wedding night and after 23 The sons of Attila 24 Empires dissolve 25 The Huns and their successors 26 Nibelung and Edda 27 Venetian and French portrayals 28 Drama and opera 29 'The Hun is at the Gate' 30 The Hungarian tradition Notes Bibliography Index show less

Very little factual information is available about Attila. The author does a good job of assembling what little is know and adding some conjecture from less reliable sources and even fiction to attempt to describe the life and times of Attila. This is mostly a review of what Attila did and some of the reasons why, it does not go deeply into his life or the life of his people. I thought it was informative and easy to read.

A good short biography and additional chapters that place him in the context of literature and other cultural outlet. Defends Attila as undeserving of his record as a monster. As one Amazon reviewer observed it could have been better orgainzed

Patrick Howarth was one of the founder members of SOE and this book is an account of their acrivities in a number of theatres. Introduction by Francis Cammaerts and foreword by MFD Foot, two of the best endorcements a book in this field could have.