Welcome to a history of Europe.

Key Battles, the Battle of the Catalonian Fields, part three of three.

In the previous two podcasts, I talked about the late Roman Empire.

In the late 4th century, an early 5th century, large numbers of the people called the Huns migrated in waves from their Eurasian steppe

homelands into northern and eastern Europe. This created a domino effect, pushing various tribes,

mostly but not all Germanic, into Roman territory. One such tribe were the Vandals, who migrated

all the way from Northern Europe into Spain,

then across into Northern Africa, where they eventually captured the Roman city of Carthage

in the year 439.

The commander of the armies in the west of the Empire, Aetius, organized an expedition to retake the city, but these plans had to be abandoned when troops from the west of the Empire, Aetius, organised an expedition to retake the city.

But these plans had to be abandoned when troops from the east of the Empire,

an essential part of the forces, were suddenly and urgently required elsewhere.

The Huns were raiding deep into the Balkans and had to be stopped.

Today I tell the story of the last days of empire,

focusing on one great battle between the Huns and the Western Roman Empire, known to history

as the Battle of the Catalonian Fields. If you visit the website www.combeau dot history-ore.net, you'll see some maps and images of the battle.

At the time of the fall of Carthage to the Vandals, the Huns were led by two brothers, Attila and Bleda.

Back in 434, they had agreed to a treaty with Constantinople.

The Romans had agreed to double the amount of gold they gave the Huns to not attack,

to open their markets to Hunic traders and to receive no refugees from the Hanuk Empire. Following this agreement,

the Huns then directed their aggression on the Persian Empire instead. But after defeat

in Armenia against the Persians, the Huns abandoned their invasion and came to the conclusion

...