Hengist & Horsa

Hengist and Horsa were two early and semi-historical Anglo-Saxon chieftains who arrived in Britain in the mid-fifth century. After the Roman legions abandoned Britain at the beginning of the fifth century, the island was left vulnerable to invasion. Saxon pirates attacked from the east, the Picts and Scotti poured over Hadrian's Wall and the Irish raided along the west coast. It was not a good time to be Romano-British; cities were sacked and civilians were raped, murdered and enslaved as bands of marauders fought and pillaged their way across Britain.

An 8th century carving from Northumbria. The carving shows Hengist (represented as a stallion) grieving over the burial mound of his brother, Horsa. 

By the middle of the fifth century, the Romano-British had had enough. In 449, probably out of desperation, King Vortigern, along with his council of nobles, invited a pair of Saxon princes, Hengist and Horsa, to bring their men over to Britain and fight off the raiders in return for booty and land. This tried and tested Roman strategy worked. The Jutish mercenaries fought off the raiders and settled somewhere, either on the Isle of Thanet (unlikely) or somewhere along the east coast. Some time later Hengist and Horsa began a hostile takeover of Kent. Traditionally, this started with Hengist's daughter, Rowena, seducing the drunken Vortigern at a feast. Madly in love, the king promises Hengist anything he desires in return for his daughter's hand. Hengist's price was Kent. Understandably annoyed, Vortigern's son, Vortimer, deposed his father and raised an army against the Saxons. Historically, its more likely that either there was a disagreement over payment, or, seeing how weak the British defences were, the brothers got greedy.

After a few skirmishes, Hengist's mercenaries defeated Vortimer's men at Aeglesthrep (probably Aylesford). The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records four battles in all. The results are not recorded but the geographical sequence suggests a Saxon retreat with the last battle fought at Wippedesfloet where, twenty years earlier, the brothers had first landed. Horsa died during this time, presumably in battle, as did Vortimer and his younger brother, Catigern. At some point during this period, the legend goes on to tell of the Night of the Long Knives. Hengist invited Vortigern and his men to make peace but in the midst of the feast, the Saxons massacred the Britons in cold blood. The only survivor was Vortigern himself who, chained and imprisoned, was forced to give up his lands to Hengist. Hengist ruled as King of Kent until his death in 488. His son, Oisc, succeeded to the throne.

As always with early Anglo-Saxon history, its difficult to untangle fact from legend. Hengist and Horsa are probably mythical figures but their story is likely based in fact. A Jutish chief did arrive in Kent in the fifth century. He and his men did serve a British king and they did revolt, fighting several battles against the Britons and gaining the British kingdom of Kent. There is no direct evidence that the Night of the Long Knives happened but the tale is preserved in ancient bardic songs so there may be a kernel of truth in there somewhere.