Ernakh was the 3rd son of Attila. After Attila's death in 453 AD, his empire crumbled and its remains were ruled by his three sons. Ernakh is considered to have succeeded Dengizich king of Akatziroi and reigned from 469 AD to 503 AD over the Huns who roamed a substantial part of the former empire and inhabited the lands of modern Ukraine. Ernakh managed to assert himself as ruler of also the Bulgar Onogurs who had come upon the Acatzir Huns in 463 during the preceding reign of his brother Dengizich.
According to the Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans, a ruler named Irnik was a leader of the Bulgars for 150 years and his reign began approximately in 453 AD. Some historians consider Ernakh and Irnik to have been the same person.