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Battle of Chalons

February 06
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The battle of Chalons was the most important event in the early dark ages. This final battle brought about the end of the classical world and ushered in the time of the new kingdoms. Rome was falling apart dur to mass invasions by invading germanic tribes, such as the Goths and Alans. Its borders were over-run with refugees, and its frontiers along the Danube and Rhine were abandoned, save for landholdings in France. To make matters worse, Rome could recieve no help from the Eastern Roman Empire.

Constantonople had been dealing with troubles of their own. Since the Huns first began invading around 410AD, the Byzatinium empire lost vast amounts of fortunes. Most of its money went into payments, which were given to the Huns to pacify them. The rest went to building walls and feilding armies, both of which could not hold out against incrasing invasions. During the third invasion, Constantonople had barley an army left, and its cash was out. To make matters worse, the Vandel tribes, which had been displaced by the Huns, had made their way to Africa, where Byzantinium lost its resources to the invaders. By this time, Attila the Hun had gained control of the Huns, after the death, or some say assassination, of his brother, Bleda, around 430 AD.

By 440, the Eastern empire had no money or items left to pilage. This was horrible news to Attila. The only reason the Hunic tribes stayed together was because of the promise of plunder. With the Eastern empire out of plunder, a breakup was all to real. Attila then decided to travel West, to the untouched lands we know as Germany, France, Italy, and Poland. Attila realized that the barbarian tribes already located there, along with those forced to move due to the Huns invasions, had no loyalties and were at odds with the dying Roman Empire. The ruler at the time was Junstinian III, only a child. Attila knew that because of this loose confederation, an invasion could be rather simple. What he did not expect was for the tribes to ally themselves with Rome. Luckily for the Western tribes and Rome, this did take place.

In command of Gaul was Flavius Aetius, a Roman general who as a child had been held hostage by a few different germanic tribes, including the Huns. Aetius knew their ways of warfare, and decided to ask for the help of a Gaulish vassel who he had been quarraling with, the Visigoth known as Theodoric the Goth. Theodoric did not like to be ruled by the Romans, but he felt that Roman rule was far better then being ravaged by the Huns. It was with this in mind that Theodoric joined Aetius, and the two armies ventured out to meet Attila.

The first skirmish was at Orleans, where Hun troops were trapped in the town, and later slaughtered by dismounted Roman troops who were at an advantage during the street fighting. Attila fled North, and found a large open countryside known as the Catalaunian Feilds. It is beleived the nearest town was Chalons, where the battle got its name. On one side were the Huns, with their Ostrogoth allies on their left and other tribes on their right. Aetius and the Romans sat on the left of the Roman-germanic army. In the middle were the Alans,who were not very trustworthy. To the right were the Visigoths, led by Thoedoric.

By mid-day battle begane between the two armies. The Romans did very little in the conflict, mostly because Aetius wanted the germans and Huns to kill themselves, and because the last known Roman army was too precious to waste. The Alans in the middle, led by Sangiban, were routed from the conflict. Therefore the main battle ensued between the Visigoths and Huns. Theodoric and his followers put of a brave fight, inflicting massive damage on the Huns. Sadly, Theodoric was killed. Whether his death was caused by the fight, an accident with his horse, or treachery by the Romans may never be known. However, the Visigoths were oddly enough inspired by his brave death in battle and carried the fight onward, now led by Theodoric's son, Thorismund.

With heavy calvary, Thorismund led his troops against the Ostrogoths. After hours of fighting the Ostrogoths were badly beaten and forced to pull back. The Visigoths captured the only hill, and forced the Huns and their allies into retreat. Despite efforts to retake the hill, the Roman-germanic army held the hill and the low grounds, where the Romans had finaly joined and routed the Huns who by this time were forced to fight on foot as a result of injured or killed horses, and because the aiding Ostrogoths and Gepids didn't fight on horseback. Attila saw that he couldn't win and retreated with the remnants of his shattered army, who by this time were undefeated in battle.

Rather then let Attila be killed, Aetius convinced Thorismund to return home to put down uprisings by his brothers who wanted the throne now that King Theodoric was dead. With this, the Huns gathered their booty and retreated back to the plains in Pannolia, whiched strecthed from Poland and Hunagry to the Black Sea. With both parties out of the way, Aetius had spared the Roman empire for a few more years. Withing those years however, Vandels from Africa had invaded Sicily and later sacked Rome. Aetius himself was assassinated for unknown reason, bringing about the death of the last great Roman general.