Attila's Byzantium Politics and the I. Balkan War             

 

       After 440 Attila had raised the pressure against Byzantium. That was because Theodosius II., had acted against the Constantia Agreement, took it quite slow to extradite the Hun refugees and even brought some of them to high positions. For example the Got originated Hun refugee Arnegisclus had been sent with a generals rank to the Hun border in Thrace. On the collective market place the Greek merchants cheated the Huns. The Bishop of Margus, around Constantia, robbed the graves of the Hun nobles that were full with weapons and ornaments made of valuable minerals.

 

       This behaviour annoyed the Hun's.At least Byzantium took part in the above mentioned Agacheri Revolt as the provocateur. On the other hand Geiserikh, the African Vandal King, had asked for the help of Attila against Byzantium, as they had obstructed him during his Mediterranean operations. Because of this and with the capturing of Margus the I.Balkan battle under the leadership of Attila had begun (441-442), which developed over Singidunum (Belgrad) and Naissus (Niş) to Thrace. Meanwhile it slowed down with the intervention of West Rome.

 

        Aetius had sent his own son Karpilio as a hostage to the Hun palast in order to guarantee that he would respect the terms of agreement with Theodosius. At the end of this battle the castles along the river Danube were taken into the administration of the Hun's, the fortifications in the back lines had been demolished and all resistance places that were used in the Balkan's against the Hun's had been lifted.