▁to ▁r ans ack ▁and ▁des ec rate ▁the ▁royal ▁Hun ▁gra ves ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁Dan ube . ▁When ▁the ▁Rom ans ▁discussed ▁hand ing ▁over ▁the ▁Bishop , ▁he ▁sli pped ▁away ▁and ▁bet rayed ▁the ▁city ▁to ▁the ▁H uns , ▁who ▁then ▁s ack ed ▁the ▁city ▁and ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁in va de ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁the ▁gates ▁of ▁Constantin ople ▁itself . ▁▁ ▁After ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁the ▁H unn ic ▁Empire , ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁again ▁controlled ▁by ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Roman ▁Empire . ▁In ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁century , ▁it ▁was ▁briefly ▁controlled ▁by ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁the ▁G ep ids . ▁Since ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁century , ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁populated ▁by ▁S lav s , ▁but ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Roman ▁Empire ▁held ▁a ▁nom inal ▁control ▁over ▁the ▁region ▁until ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁century ▁when ▁B alk an ▁S lav s ▁achieved ▁de ▁fact o ▁independence ▁from ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Empire . ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁ruled ▁by ▁A var ▁Kh agan ate ▁before ▁their ▁demol ition ▁by ▁Char lemagne . ▁The ▁area ▁was ▁subsequently ▁included ▁into ▁the ▁Bulgar ian ▁Empire ▁and ▁was ▁altern ately ▁ruled ▁by ▁the ▁Bulgar ian ▁Empire , ▁the ▁By z antine ▁Empire ▁and ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Hung ary ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁century . ▁▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁century , ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁ruled ▁by ▁independent ▁local ▁S lav ic - B ul gar ian ▁r ul ers , ▁Dr man