| Bleda | |
|---|---|
 Bleda in a lithograph by Josef Kriehuber | |
| Chieftain of the Huns (co-rulership) | |
| Reign | 434–445 |
| Predecessor | Ruga |
| Successor | Attila |
| Born | c. 400 |
| Died | c. 445 (aged 45) |
| Father | Mundzuk |
Bleda (/ˈblɛdə, ˈbleɪdə/) was a Hunnic ruler, the brother of Attila the Hun.[1]
As nephews to Rugila, Attila and his elder brother Bleda succeeded him to the throne. Bleda's reign lasted for eleven years until his death. While it has been speculated by Jordanes that Attila murdered him on a hunting trip,[2] it is unknown exactly how he died. One of the few things known about Bleda is that, after the great Hun campaign of 441, he acquired a Moorish dwarf named Zerco. Bleda was highly amused by Zerco and went so far as to make a suit of armor for the dwarf so that Zerco could accompany him on campaign.
- ^ Grousset, Rene (1970). The Empire of the Steppes. Rutgers University Press. pp. 75. ISBN 0-8135-1304-9.
- ^ Jordanes. The Origin and Deeds of the Goths XXXV. Translated by Mierow, Charles C.