A time ago one of my hyves-friends dared me to write a blog in English. First off all I thought about it a while, because that might be actually very unusual to publish on a Dutch network-community, because hyves is normally oriëntated on a large group of Dutch users. But I give it a try now. My hyves-friend said: 'It must include a specific phrase'. Later on I will tell which one. Let's go:
Let me tell you about a king I met in Tuscany, Italy: my ancient Mongolian friend.
(A historic, maybe amazing and unusual strange blog).
They resembled the people that the Chinese called the Xiongnu, but they are different. They are a group of people with different language and background, such as Turkish, Mongolian, Iranian, Finno-Ugric and possibly other Central Asian and Siberian tribes. Their power stretches across Eastern Europe and the Russian steppes and displaced the Visigoths and other Germanic tribes. Caucasian penetration into Central Asia was much stronger in these times, as a result of the Indo-European expansion. Sogdians and Bactrians were, for example, Iranian tribes. Central Asia is predominantly Indo-European. When the Tang reached Central Asia, they found the Indo-European population being slowly, but steadily displaced by the Turkish tribes. Xiongnu, or ..., lived roughly between China and then-Indo-European Central Asian states, such as Sogdiana and Bactria. So they must have had a very mixed ethnic composition. Yes, I'm telling about historic people, an ancient Mongolian empire.
Actually, some argue that Hungarians have partially originated from them. Mongols have nothing to do with them, they were apparently Turkic people. Xiognu or Hunnu is an ancient Mongolian empire. So, the whistle arrow* is invented by Xiognu/Mongols. And Mongolia then whas the homeland of Turkic people. Even more interesting is the Mongolian empire, estabilished by Chinghiz Khaan on the same place of an older Turkic empire's capital (Gok turuk) named "Otuken".
But, in that period, I met him personally. His name was Atilla. He was an infamous, vicious barbarian King who attacked the Roman Empire and was so fierce he was named "THE SCOURGE OF GOD"! Attila was a legendary king - a leader of the Mongoloid people - who began invading the Roman Empire. Attila was so furious in his attacks, he was named "SCOURGE OF GOD"! Let me tell you, that action of the Xiongnu king would be an ecumenical matter', mayby a ethic or a historic matter. They used weapons like whistling arrows*.
The approaching collapse of the Western Empire gave me a further opportunity to appear as the representative of lawful authority. When my Mongolian friend invaded Italy and threatened Rome, it was me, accompanied by two high civil functionaries, who went to meet him, and effected his withdrawal. According to the Prosper of Aquitaine, he was so impressed that he withdrew. By the way: Jordanes, who represents my contemporary Priscus, provides other reasons.
Pragmatic concerns such as the large sum of gold that accompanied me, or logistical and strategic concerns, may have been the true reason for Attila's mercy. Attila's army was already quite stretched and full from booty from plunder, my plea for mercy may well have merely served as an honorable reason to not continuing on and sacking the Roman capitol.
Some questions still remain:
Do you know who I am and in which time I was living?
How did they call my famous Mongolian friend ?
Have you any idea which phrase I specially used in this blog?
The most answers are not so difficult, I suppose.
The answer on this questions will follow after a while, but not before I received your suggestions.
*Note: A number of names have been given to the whistling arrow in the Chinese language. (‘whistling arrows’ here refers to arrowheads bearing both a whistle mechanism and a sharp point.) The earliest literary record of such arrows is to be found in the ‘Annals of the Huns in the ‘Historical Annals’ of Sima Qian . "I still recall the blood smeared on the whistling arrow" is a line of poetry by Xin Qiji (1140-1207) recalling the whistling arrow which killed his father. Miedun must have been an outstanding leader of the Huns as can be seen from his his defeat of the Donghu in the east, pursuing the Yueshi in the west, driving out Loufan and King Baiyang of Henan in the south and besieging Emperor Gaozu of the Han (Liu Bang) at Ping Cheng so that he was unable to escape. Finally, the Chinese had to change to tactics of appeasement.
A whistling arrow was intended for firing at the enemy, while also being able to give a signal. The shooting distance was short and it could generally be used in the battlefield. It was principally a method of conveying battle command signals.
Matti, 3 september 2009
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The answer: Pope Leo I, he met Attila the Hun in the year 452.
This were some of my sources of inspiration:
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paus_Leo_I
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attila_de_Hun
(by the way: Flavius Aetius wordt in dat verband wel genoemd)
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