Most stories about Attila the Hun end with his sudden death in 453 AD. Amédée Thierry’s Histoire d'Attila et de ses successeurs (2/2) is where the real drama begins. This second volume picks up right after the funeral, asking the crucial question: what happens to a world-shaking empire when the one man holding it together is gone?

The Story

Attila left behind a sprawling domain and a fistful of sons, but no clear plan for who should take over. Thierry guides us through the immediate and chaotic power struggle. It’s a free-for-all. Brothers turn on each other, former allied tribes see their chance to break free, and the core Hunnic army fractures. The book follows these successor kings—Ellac, Dengizich, Ernak, and others—as they desperately try to claim pieces of their father’s legacy. We see them launch doomed campaigns, make shaky alliances, and ultimately fail to stop the inevitable. Within a generation, the Hunnic Empire, which had seemed like an unstoppable force of nature, dissolves back into the steppes from whence it came.

Why You Should Read It

What grabbed me was the sheer human drama Thierry uncovers. This isn't just a dry list of battles and dates. It’s a family saga on a catastrophic scale. You see how Attila’s genius was personal and non-transferable. He built a coalition held together by fear, charisma, and success. Without him, there was nothing to hold it together. Thierry makes you feel the tension and the panic as his sons realize the scale of the disaster they’ve inherited. It’s a powerful lesson about the fragility of empires built around a single, towering figure. The writing, while from the 19th century, has a narrative drive that focuses on characters and consequences, making a distant historical process feel urgent and relatable.

Final Verdict

This book is perfect for history buffs who are tired of the same old war stories and want to explore the messy aftermath. It’s also great for anyone who enjoys narratives about power vacuums and failed successions—think Game of Thrones, but with real historical stakes. Be aware, it’s a direct continuation (Volume 2 of 2), so you’ll get the most out of it if you’re already familiar with Attila’s reign from the first volume or other sources. If you’ve ever wondered how history’s most famous ‘barbarian’ empire actually ended, Thierry provides the compelling, character-driven answer.