Hunnius, Nikolaus, son of iEgidius Hmmius, was born at jMarburg Jidy 11, 1585. He studied philol- ogy, philosophy, and tlieology at Wittenberg, where he began lectures on theology and philosophy in 1609. In 1612 he went as superintendent to Eilenburg, and in 1617 returned to Wittenberg as professor, in the place of Hutter (q. v.). In 1623 he became head jtastor of the Church of Mary at Llibeck, and superintendent of the Church in the same city the following year. He died April 12, 1643. He resembled his father as weU in his attachment to the Lutheran orthodoxy as in his learning and controversial powers. He devised the plan of a Collegium Ji-enicum, whicli was called, after him, " Collegium Hunnianum," and which was to form a su- preme tribunal in all theological disputes. He was also distinguished as an able opponent of Popery. His prin- cipal works are, Ministerii Lutherani divini adeoque le-
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gitimi demoTislratio (Wittcnb. 1G14) -.—Examen crrorum Photinianoi-um (1G18, 1G20) : — Epitome credciidorum (Wittenberg, 1G25 ; 18 eds., and translated into Dutch, Swedish, and Polish) :— Ai«(Tx«''r"f ih'^'^t. de fiindamen- tali dissensu doctrince evanr/el. Lutherame et Calnnianve (Wittenb. 1G26) : — Bedenken ob u, wie d. in d. Ecangel- isch-Liitherischen Kirche d. schwehende Relir/ionst reitig- keit. hvilecjeii od.fortstellen u, endiijen mur/en (Lub. 1G32, 1G38, IGGG, 1G67): — Aniceisttm/ zuiii rechtcn Christi'iitlium (Liib. 1G37 and IG-IS). See Heller, Lehensbeschreibuiuj (1843) : Pierer, Universal Lex. vol. viii ; Herzog, Real- Eucykhp. vi, 321 sq.; Kurtz, Ch. IliM. ii, 201.
Hiinolt, Franz, a distinguished Roman Catholic pulpit orator, was born in the duchy of Nassau towards the close of the 17th century. He was a member of the Jesuit order, and his Sermom (Cologne, 1737, G vols, fol., and often") gave him rank as one of the best preachers of the 18th century. He died at Trier in 174G.— Wet- zer u. Welte, Kirc'hen-Lex. xii, GOG.
Huns (Latin ITunni), a nation of Asiatic origin, and in all likelihood of Jlougolian or Tartar stock, therefore akin to, and perhaps to be identified with, the iSci/thians and the 7\(rks, were, according to De Guignes (Ilisf. des Huns), whose theory was accepted by Gibbon, and is now entertained by all competent critics, lineal descend- ants froin the Iliong-noio nation, "whose ancient seat was an extensive but barren tract of country immedi- ately to the north of the great wall of China. About the year B.C. 200 these people overran the Chinese em- pire, defeated the Chinese armies in numerous engage- ments, and even drove the emperor Kao-ti himself to an ignominious capitulation and treaty. During the reign of Vou-ti (B.C. 141-87) their power was very much broken. Eventually they separated into two dis- tinct camps, one of which, amounting to about 50,000 families, went southwards, while the other endeavored to maintain itself in its original seat. This, however, it was very difficult for them to do; and eventuallj' the most warlike and enterprising went west and north-west in search of new homes. Of those that went north- west, a large number established themselves for a while on the banks of the Volga." About the earlier part of the 4th century they crossed this river, and advanced into the territories of the Alani, a pastoral people dwell- ing between the Volga and the Don. The incursion was resisted with much braverj' and some effect, until at length a bloody and decisive battle was fought on the banks of the Don, in which the Alan king was slain, and his army utterly routed, an^l the vast majority of the survivors agreed to join the invaders. They next encountered successfully the aged leader of the Goths, who claimed as his dominions the land situated between the Baltic and the Euxine, and then his successor AVith- imir, v,-hom they slew in battle. The Goths still re- maining placed themselves under the protection of the emperor Valens, who in 37G gave permission to a great number of them to cross the Danube, and settle in the countries on the other side as auxiUaries to the Roman arms against further invasion. The Huns thus became the occupants of all the old territories of the Goths ; and when these, not long afterwards, revolted against Va- lens, the Huns also crossed the Danube, and joined their arms to those of the Goths in hostilities against the Ro- man empire. In the wars that followed, the Huns were less conspicuous than the Goths, their former enemies. In the 5th century they were strengthened by fresh hordes of their brethren, and they determined to gain further conquests. In the reign of Theodosius, under their king Attila (q. v.), they were even strong enough to receive an annual tribute from the Romans to secure their empire against external injury. With Attila's death, however, in 454, their power was totally bro- ken. A few feeble sovereigns succeeded him. but there was now strife everj^vhere among the several na- tions that had owned the firm sway of Attila, and the Huns never regained their power. 3Iany of them took
service in the armies of the Romans, and others again joined fresh hordes of invaders from the north and east, which were undoubtedly tribes related to them, espe- cially the Avares, whom they joined in great inunbers, and hence perhaps the reason why, at this period of their liistory, they are frequently called Uunnacares. They now made themselves masters of the country known by us as Lower Austria. But the Slaves (Sla- vonians'?) in Bohemia and jMoravia regaineil their ter- ritory in the 8th century, and many of the Ilunnavares were made slaves, and were thus brought to a knowl- edge of Christianity. Their inclinations, however, led them to oppose most fiercely all the inroads of Christi- anity, and they transformed Christian churches into heathen temples wherever they were successful in gain- ing territory. About 791 Charlemagne waged war against the Avares, as the Huns were then called, in which many of tiiem were slain, and but few weak tribes remained. About the year 799 they were finally conquer- ed, and their power broken. Charles himself regarded this war as a sort of crusade or holy war, and sent to the pope and the Church all the tribute paid him by the vanquished foe. The first great convert to Christi- anity was one of their princes, called Tudcm, who sent a legation to Charlemagne in 79>% with the declaration that he woiUd become tributary to him and acceiit the Christian religion. He was baptized at Aix-la-Cha- peUe in 796, but shortly after his return to his tribe he abjured the newly-accepted faith. King Pepin paid particular attention to the conversion of the Huns, in whose behalf Alcuin (q. v.) also was greatly interested. By peopling the territory assigned to them with Ger- mans, especially Bavarians, and by founding several monasteries and cathedrals, the subsequent Christian princes furthered Christianit3' among them, mitil they became amalgamated with the Germans.