Ellac

Ellac (also called Ellak; † 454 at the Battle of Nedao in Pannonia ) was the eldest son of Attila the Hun. After his death the empire fell apart the Huns.

Life

Little is known about Ellacs life. The biographical data and facts about him based solely on the Getica Jordanes ( † after 552 ) and the work of history fragmentary of Priscus (2nd half of the 5th century ).

For the first time reported Ellac when his father appointed him as ruler of the Akatziren, whose residence was in the area between the Caucasus and the present-day eastern Ukraine a split into several tribes people. The enthronement Ellacs likely to have been the result of a victorious war campaign of his father. Attila's attempt to set up a Hun Sekundogenitur for his son was apparently granted no permanent success, as 449 bored Ellac already back in the court of Vienna of his father; and then is no longer any mention in the sources of a Hun - akatzirischen connection.

After Attila's death ( 453) his sons fought over their father's legacy. As Jordanes reports that she finally agreed to the numerous divide ( folk) tribes ( gentes ), which were subject to the Huns among themselves. Against this inheritance scheme, which intended to suppress " " that warlike kings would be raffled with their people like serfs " ," however encouraged resistance. Under the leadership of Gepidenkönigs Ardaric, one of the most loyal vassal of Attila, a coalition of the discontented, who belonged mostly Germanic tribal chiefs and their warriors formed. This coalition defeated the run of Ellac and his brothers and mainly consisting of Huns force 454 in the decisive battle at the river Nedao in Pannonia. According to Jordanes Ellac fell in this battle after a brave fight.

With Ellacs death, " the prospect of a continued existence of the Hun Empire ... in a new context " was finally extinguished. The rest of the sons of Attila possessed after this defeat had neither the military power nor the personal authority to resume the fight for the father's kingdom again can. " The huge " tribal swarm ", " the Huns, the Empire had shown, " now fell apart within a short time into its components. "