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.