Description

The Avars entered Eastern Europe from the Central Asian steppes in the 6th century and like the Huns before them and the Cumans and Magyars after them the Avars were raiders and warriors who lived on their horses The Avars impact on Europe was immediately felt and from the Byzantine Empire to the Merovingian Kingdom in Gaul some of Europes strongest powers had to learn how to deal with these new people through a combination of diplomacy and warfare Eventually the Avars established themselves in what is today Hungary and played an important role in the development of European history during its transitional period by earning a reputation as a fearsome and sometimes avaricious group The medieval sources described the Avars as efficient and brutal horseback warriors who could devastate entire kingdoms in a matter of days and leave just as quickly