Vortigern

Shrouded in legend, Vortigern is a shadowy and semi-mythical early British leader who existed in the first half of the fifth century. There are no contemporary records that have survived and what little we know of him comes from legend and semi-historical tracts written centuries after his death.

A twelfth century illustration showing Vortigern and Merlin watching two dragons battling beneath the King's castle in Wales.

Vortigern came to power sometime in the early fifth century, possibly as early as 425, or as late as 445. He is remembered in legend as the High-King of Britain, a position he achieved through treachery and murder. However, Gildas, a historian writing in the sixth century, merely writes that Vortigern was one of a council, perhaps a civitas leader or magistrate; less of a high-king and more of a first-among-equals. Of his early leadership, very little is mentioned. Some sources claim that he married Sevira, the daughter of Magnus Maximus and had three sons, named in the Historia Brittonum as Vortimer, Catigern and Pascent. Vortigern may also have been involved in a power struggle with Ambrosius Aurelianus, another powerful Romano-British leader, who he defeated in battle in c.437.

Vortigern is immortalised in legend as the man who, in 446, foolishly and shortsightedly invited the Saxon princes, Hengist and Horsa, to settle in Kent in return for protection. Employing one barbarian tribe to defend against another was a standard Roman practice and it worked. Pict and Scottish raids ceased and, for a while, the Britons and Saxons lived peacefully.  Exactly where the mercenaries settled is uncertain; legend has it that they settled on the Isle of Thanet while Gildas rather vaguely mentions that they settled someone in the east. Some years later, the Saxons revolted. The reasons are unknown. Traditionally, Vortigern, drunk at a celebratory feast, fell deeply in love with Rowena, Hengist’s daughter. He promised Hengist whatever he wanted in exchange for her hand in marriage. The Kingdom of Kent was Hengist’s price and Vortigern agreed. Understandably, it was the British who revolted, overthrew Vortigern and put his eldest son, Vortimer, on the throne and battled against the Saxons. Gildas, on the other hand, writes that the Saxons revolted over a disagreement over payment. Yet another version claims that Hengist, realising how poor the British defences were, decided to take the opportunity and seize Kent for himself.

Vortigern’s last mention in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was in 455. It’s likely his kingship effectively ended with the Saxon revolt. Whether he died or disappeared is unknown. Legend says that Vortigern fought alongside his sons and was betrayed yet again at the Night of the Long Knives, a peace conference where the Saxons murdered the British in cold blood and forced Vortigern to surrender the kingdoms of Essex and Sussex in return for his life. Vortigern then fled to his powerbase in Powys where he was killed by Ambrosius Aurelianus. His two eldest sons, Vortimer and Catigern, died fighting the Saxons while his third son, Pascent, is named as an early ancestor of the Kings of Powys. 

Caer Celemion

Caer Celemion was a sub-Roman British kingdom centred on the Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum. Starting life as an Iron Age hill fort, Calleva Atrebatum was founded soon after the Roman Conquest of 43AD as the civitas, or capital, of the Atrebates tribe whose territory encompassed parts of northern Hampshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire. Archaeological evidence suggests that Calleva Atrebatum was a thriving town with stone city walls, a bathhouse, an amphitheatre, temples and even an early Christian Church.

As Calleva Atrebtaum may have looked in its Roman heyday

The town avoided the general decline that affected other Romano-British settlements after the Roman withdrawal and continued to prosper well into the fifth century. As with other Romano-British territories at this time, Calleva Atrebatum and its surrounding area gained autonomy as British central authority weakened and by the mid-fifth century had emerged as an independent British kingdom.

As a British kingdom, Caer Celemion lasted for just over two centuries. Saxon settlers advancing along the Thames Valley frequently encroached on its northern borders and defensive earthworks were quickly thrown up to protect the kingdom. By the sixth century, Caer Celemion faced a new threat: the West Saxons who, having consolidated control over their Hampshire heartland, were looking to expand. Caer Gwinntguic fell in 552 and, two decades later, Caer Gloui also fell, swiftly followed by its sister kingdoms of Caer Baddon and Caer Ceri. By the dying days of the sixth century, Caer Celemion stood alone, isolated and totally surrounded by Saxon chiefdoms.

Map showing Caer Celemion and its neighbours in the early fifth century. By the end of the sixth century, Rhegin, Caer Gwinntguic, Caer Baddon, Caer Gloui and Caer Ceri had all fallen leaving Caer Celemion isolated and vulnerable.

Inevitably, after holding out for almost three decades, Caer Celemion finally fell to Caewlin of Wessex in c.605. Calleva Atrebatum was abandoned, the ruins were ritually cursed, and its wells were filled to prevent any Romano-British occupants from returning. Unusually, the town was never resettled, with the West Saxons choosing instead to maintain their existing towns of Winchester and Dorchester. The ruins of Calleva Atrebatum can still be seen today.