The Huns - Introduction to their Origin, Culture, Trade, Warfare and Religion

The Huns were a nomadic warrior people who played a significant role in shaping the history of Europe and Asia. In this video, we delve into the fascinating world of the Huns, exploring their origins, their fearsome military tactics, and their impact on various civilizations. From their highly debated origin to their lesser known religion, this video provides a comprehensive overview of these topics and other aspects of their life.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:15 Origin
06:07 Nomadic Pastoralism
08:42 Social Structure
10:23 Military Leaders
12:43 Classes of People
13:48 Warfare
15:04 Horses
16:57 Bows and Arrows
18:14 Military
20:08 Trade
22:34 Religion

All the images and video footages used in this video are either from public domain or used under fair use guidelines.

Music credits:
2. Illuminate- written and composed by Whitesand(Martynas Lau)
4. The Dark Knight- written and composed by Whitesand(Martynas Lau)
6. Defender- written and composed by Whitesand(Martynas Lau)

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#ancient #ancienthistory #barbarian #huns #eurasian #history #nomadic

[nenenindonu]

The origin part is kinda oversimplified, the Huns had in fact their own language, Hunnic, which is asserted to be an Oghur Turkic language related to Bulgar hence the concept of "Hunno-Bulgar", the Chuvash language remains the only surviving member of Oghuric. Like empires all nomadic polities are more or less multi-ethnic but the original core of Huns consisted of Oghur fractions like Kutrigurs, Saragurs, Utigurs, etc.

[kingoftheworld]

i’m turko mongol it’s great to hear our history being shown around the world.

[outsidewell]

Xiongnu is a Mandarin pronunciation. The Chinese characters Xiongnu 匈奴was pronounced Honnu before Pinyin system standardized Chinese pronunciation based on Mandarin. In Cantonese and Wu dialects, it is still pronounced Honnu or Hunnu.

[hotpaprika]

Being Hungarian is a proud beauty..
Nowadays, people believe again in fate, in God... More and more people are saying the idea that: There are no coincidences!
If this is true, everything that happens in our world has a reason, then can we ignore the fact that we were born Hungarian? Or, there are no coincidences, but that doesn't matter? Of course! If you were born here, you have a duty! Completing the task begins with the fact that we do not gloss over our Hungarianness, but find out what it means to be Hungarian. What kind of task has God (fate, universe...) assigned us as Hungarians.
Árpád's Hungarians come to the inheritance of Atilla the Hun, as descendants to the Carpathians, Hunnia, Hungary. They take possession of the rightful inheritance, without a fight, because it turns out that the people who live here speak our language, our relatives. The Turul dynasty, of which Atilla is a member, was called the Árpád house in the Middle Ages, and can present one of the oldest family trees in the world, as Atilla descends from Nimród. According to our able chronicle, our first king was Atilla and our first king István. It's not a mistake, that's what the chronicle says about both of them. So we have a ruling family with the oldest ancestry in Europe and a rightful heritage, the Carpathians, the Carpathian Basin. There are many things that connect us with certain peoples connected here, of whom we can also say - and I say - our relatives.
The Greeks describe the Scythians as saying that their soldiers retreat in battle, then unexpectedly attack back and destroy the ranks of the enemy, who were already confused in the pursuit, with a counterattack. This is what the Romans wrote about the Parthians, from whom they suffered a crushing defeat twice. This is the news about the Huns, the Avars, and about us Hungarians as well. In fact, our national symbol, the falcon that forms the basis of TURUL, also fights in the air in this way.
We know from our legislation that at first it consists of only 5 points (the blood contract), then it expands, again and again by recording freedoms when they seem to be forgotten. According to the Greeks, the Scythians carry the truth not in the law book, but in their hearts. Atilla, God's Whip, is stern but fair. It is based on his judgment that he destroys entire cities, at other times he leaves a monastery or a church if he finds righteous people, and sometimes he pardons the entire city, see the case of Rome.
We do not sign a contract in front of a notary, but in an authentic place (presbytery, canonry), in front of God. In case of breach of contract, God's Judgment is common. The most common is the ordeal by fire, which in the 1300s ended with more than 50% healing. Our relationship with God, loyalty to the truth plays a prominent role in our lives. (Dr. Tibor Varga)
According to the Holy Crown Doctrine, which is the written reality of a customary law, everyone deserves a life worthy of a human being. The goods required for this cannot be alienated, and cannot be transferred to private hands. Today, this would be the agricultural land, road network, drinking water supply, telephone, post office, railway... These are the properties of the Holy Crown, which cannot be alienated by either the king or the parliament. Although this system does not serve profit maximization, it gives an opportunity for a life worthy of a human being. (Dr. Tibor Varga)

[nenenindonu]

The consensus is that the Huns were Turks of Oghuric affiliation, mostly based on credible studies confirming that the vast majority of attested Hunnic names as well as all Hunnic sub-clans (Akatziri, Onogurs, Utigurs, Sabirs, Bulgars, Saragurs, Baranjars, Kutrigurs) are of evident Oghur Turkic origin

Recorded Hunnic names of Turkic origin :
Aigan = moon prince; from Turkic aï & can
Alp Ilutuer / Ilteber = heroic chieftain; from Turkic alp & iltäbär
Althias = six; from Turkic Alti
Akkagas = white rock; from Turkic ak & kayač
Atakam = elder shaman; from Turkic ata & kam
Balach = calf; from Turkic Malaq
Berik = strong; from Turkic Berık
Basik = governor; from Turkic Bârsiğ
Bleda = wise; from Turkic Bildä
Bochas = either gullet; from Turkic Boğuz; or bull, from Buqa
Dengizich = ocean-like, little sea; from Turkic teɲez & dêɲri; or simply, great lake
Donat / Donatu = horse; from Turkic Yonat
Edeco = good; from Turkic Ädgü
Ellac = to rule; from Turkic el & lä 
Emmedzur = horse lord; from Turkic Ämäcur
Eskam / Esqam = companion of the shaman; from Turkic eŝ & kam
Erekan / Kreka = pure princess; from Turkic Arïqan
Ernakh / Hernac = small man, heroic man; from Turkic Ernäk
Iliger = prince man; from Turkic ilig & är
Karadach = black mountain; from Turkic Qaradağ
Karaton = black cloak; from Turkic Qarâton
Kursik = either noble; from Turkic Kürsiğ; or belt-bearer, from Qurŝiq
Kutilzis = blessed herald; from Turkic kut & elči
Mundzuk = bead; from Turkic Munčuq
Oebarsius / Aybars = moon leopard, from Turkic Aïbârs; or dun leopard, from oy & bars
Oldogan / Odolgan = either red falcon; from Turkic al & dogan; or chubby, from Tolgun
Onegesius = either twelve; from Turkic oneki; or tumen chief, from Oniyiz
Oktar / Uptar = brave; from Turkic Öctär
Ruga / Rua = wise man; from Turkic Ögä
Turgun = still, calm; from Turkic Turkun
Uldin = six; from Turkic Alti
Zolban = shepherd star; from Turkic Čolpan

[gambigambigambi]

_"When the conqueror is from the West, he is called The Great. When the conqueror is from the East, he is labeled a Barbarian...."_

[userwsyz]

The Chinese records note that in the third or fourth century, the Han dynasty finally defeated the Xiongnu. The southern Xiongnu submitted to the Han Chinese. The northern Xiongnu migrated west, and the west called them the Huns. It's said that the Han Chinese in ancient times did pronounce Xiongnu as Huns.

[tobyplumlee]

Can you do a video on the Alan's? Because this is the best video on the Huns I have found. The Alan's are historically very interesting and not only ended up in Iberia but also Roman Gaul as protectors of Western Rome. Their horsemanship was adopted by the Breton cavalry that eventually influenced the Norman calvery that would influence horsemanship in the British Empire.

[mohammedsaysrashid]

It was an informative and wonderful introduction video about Huns...thank you for sharing

[AryaOghuz]

It’s always amazing to find a channel that spends a lot of time and effort into studying steppe history. It’s incredibly refreshing and relieving

[TeunisD]

The Hun-Xiongnu relationship is very probable. I actually hypothesized the same hypothesis as De Guignes based on my research in history without knowing he already wrote about it. This video made it all so much more clear. Also the Goth trading situation.

[gangadharhiremath]

This description of Huns is so similar to the description of Mongol Chengiz khan and his nomadic army of 12th century.
Was he of Hun ancestry?

[userwsyz]

Xiongnu wore leather and fur. That probably was why they didn't wash them. And Xiongnu actually was the people started the silk trade. Before the Han Chinese could defeat Xiongnu, in order to stop Xiongnu pillaging Han Chinese villages and towns, the Han dynasty carried out a pacifying policy that Han dynasty would give Xiongnu silk, tea, etc valuable stuff as well as marrying Han Chinese women to Xiongnu kings.
The Han emperor Han Wu Di sent Zhang Qian to look for the Yuezhi people to form an ally against Xiongnu. The Yuezhi people neighbored Xiongnu, were defeated by Xiongnu and migrated west to central Asia. In order to get to central Asia. Zhang Qian has to go through Xiongnu territory, and he was captured. Xiongnu kept him and gave him a Xiongnu wife. Zhang Qian lived with Xiongnu for ten years and escaped to central Asia to find Yuezhi people. But the Yuezhi people was doing well and formed the Kushan empire and was not interested in fighting Xiongnu anymore. Zhang Qian went back to Xiongnu and then escaped with his Xiongnu wife to China. During the ten years living in Xiongnu territory, Zhang Qian draw a map of the whole place. And he also found out that Xiongnu did not wear silk themselves but sell them to merchants in Central Asia for good money. So when Han dynasty defeated Xiongnu, they took over that area and started the silk road trade in large scale.

[dorjbayar]

Hun means human or person in Mongolian. We still keep many Hun cultural traditions such as cheek red painting, folk son genre, and music instruments.

[JohnEglick-plsb]

Proto of the Mongols, they were of Alltaic peoples, similar to American Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Mongols, and Turkic peoples .

[Jkl]

Took the Han Dynasty of China over 200 years to fully beat the fierce Xiongnus despite very superior military technology. They finally fled to the west towards Europe over time.

[IFYUSEEKAY]

Wow! I thought I was subscribed to most of the great history channels on YT. How I missed this one is beyond me but better late than never! Gratefully subbed!!

[edmundsim]

After the fall of the Han Dynasty, many nomadic tribes north of China has the surname of Liu and all claimed lineage and descent from the Han Dynasty. The Huns are probably beaten off by other claimants but still take the name of the Han Dynasty as their dynasty right.

[AlptheSpearo]

One side says that Xiongu (Asian Hun) is not Turk, the White Huns fought with the Gokturks, how can they become Turks 😃 As you can see, our Turkish ancestors dominated the steppe, devastated all the Mongols and Persians and established a confederation, they appoint Turks as administrators and leaders, but because of these multiple nations under us, westerners say that Huns are not Turks. It's like saying the Ottomans are not Turks. Those who accept that they are Turks say "barbarians destroyed everyone". "The Göktürks are the continuation of which empire? Göktürks are definitely the continuation of the Hun empire, and they see the Xiongu as their ancestors. Attila's wife is Arıkan (asil), his father's name is Muncuk (Boncuk), his grandfather is Uldız (Yıldız), his uncle is Aybars, another uncle is Oktar, their son is ilek (illi) There are also linguistic similarities such as dengiz (sea), irnek (brave). Although most of these are documented, they remain silent when the biased media does not teach them these. Even when the Seljuk state was fighting with Byzantium, Byzantine sources referred to them as "Hun". For example, Mamluks were also popular. Because they were the only state that defeated and stopped the Mongols, magnificently objective western sources call the Mamluks an Egyptian (!) state, similar to the Pechenegs, the Avars, even though the Mamluk sources generally record the name of their state as "ed-Devletü't-Türkiyye" (Turkish State). They don't call Bulgarians and Khazars Turks, I don't say anything about Scythians in general, but they don't even call Sakas Turks, despite their DNA research

[shknes]

How related are modern day Hungarians to original Huns? I don’t see much Turkic features or fitting the description.