The Fall Of The West (COMPLETED)

Part 4: Here come the Horsemen, here come the End Of Days

The following is purely fictional.

"For the last time, Honoria, you will marry him! His inclusion into our family will give us much-needed influence to enforce our decisions!" Valentinian screamed at his sister.

"Can't I choose any other man? Wouldn't any general be better than a ruddy old senator?"

"You can't possibly mean that man! He's only a servant!"

"Then can a senator do anything? I haven't seen them even appear anywhere for years! I mean, even  Aetius would be a better choice!"

Valentinian marched up to his sister, and proceeded to give her a vicious slap across her face, sending her to the floor.

Dangerously he whispered,"You of all people will not mention that son of a whore in front of me. You will obey me, and you will marry that senator."

Then, he turned and stomped off in a huff.

Honoria's tears rolled down her cheeks as she clutched her wounded face and ran to her table. Then, picking up her engagement ring, she hurled it down on the dresser in a fit of rage.

Then, her sobs subsided as her eyes lit up with an idea. She got a pen and papyrus from the dresser, and started writing.

***

In 450 AD Attila declared his intent to attack the Visigothic Kingdom in Toulouse, and made an alliance with Valentinian to achieve this end. The Huns always had good relations with the Western Empire, as they had many employment opportunities as mercenaries in the Western armies. Aetius owed his position and influence to them. The gifts given by Geiseric in Africa may also have influenced Attila's decision.

However, the situation plummeted down like the stock market in 1930. Valentinian's sister Honoria sent a letter with her engagement ring to Attila pleading for him to save her from her betrothal to a Roman senator. She was probably not serious, and did that just to spite her brother, but Attila took the letter extremely seriously. He demanded half of the Western Empire, or whatever was left of it, as dowry.

Valentinian would have killed his sister if not for the influence of his mother Galla Placidia, who convinced him to exile her. He sent emissaries to clarify the misunderstanding, but Attila was adamant.

Another reason for the invasion has recently been put forward. Aetius and Attila were involved in a Frankish civil war, where the former supported the younger son and the latter supported the elder son. Attila's real objective might have been to establish Frankish vassal states on the Rhine.

The Hunnic empire at this time was a force to be reckoned, and was probably among the greatest powers in the world. Under Attila, the empire had stretched from the shores of the Black Sea to the harsh climes of the North Sea, and he ruled over numerous vassals ranging from the Caucasus to modern-day Poland. As such, he could levy a huge range of units in his vast armies, making his campaigns unstoppable.

Attila gathered his vassals- Gepids, Ostrogoths, Alans, Scirii, Rugii, Heruli, Burgundians, Alemanni- and many others, and began his march into Roman territory. In 451 AD he arrived in Belgica with a number exaggerated by Jordanes to be half a million strong. The actual number was probably much less, about 30000, but still a huge force by the standards of the time.

***

The following is purely fictional.

Geiseric was irritated by a ray of sunlight, and he rose from his bed. It was a bright African morning, as the waves lapped softly at the piers and the seagulls screeched overhead.

Some men were shouting around the pier. Two ships were coming into port: one of his raiding ships, and a Eastern Roman dromonarion in tow.

A pigeon fluttered into his room and headed straight for his arm. Geiseric caught it and untied the little scrap of paper at its leg. Then he released it.