Vortigern

**Vortigern** was a powerful silurian nobleman.He was the son of Vitalis, a pelagian-christian Bishop, originally from Glevum but later could expand his power over Ventia and Tigernleuc.When ,after the roman withdrawal, the Archbishop of Londinium called upon a council of the Civitates of Britannia Vortigern voted for re-installing the ancient Britannian title of a High-King to unite the often competing tribal realms which already considered themselves independent Kingdoms.He persuaded Constans, son of Constantinus III to take the position and installed himself as the King's high-councilor while he himself married Sevira, the daughter of Magnus Maximus.He made himself first King of Pagus and as Constans proved a weak and unpopular, used him as his puppet and ruled the country through him until he finally orchestrated Constans' death through saxons led by Gilda Célod while blaming it successfully on insurgent Picts.After this he himself was able to assume the position of high-King and expanded his personal influence from Vortigernia over Isca and Viroconium Cornoviorum and was even as influential as being able to establish a court as far as Durovernum Cantiacorum, though if only withnthe help of saxon foederatii.

Prior to the saxon uprising young Merlin had briefly lived with Vortigern and uttered a famous series of prophecies before his assembly at Erirosia (417) .He had also supported the escape of Constantinus two younger sons and their fostering in Britannia Minor.

As Combrogia, Cornwall and Loegria were at the time harassed by both Scoti and Picts he favoured to support Saxones, Jutes and Angli led by Hengist and Horsa (428) as Foederatii which brought him into conflict with St. Germanus who led an expedition to Britannia in 429.He also had contacts with St. Patricius, a britannian christian missionary in Hibernia.

The Saxones arrived at first in three cyulis, but soon brought in more of their countrymen who now officially settled in southeastern Britannia with Vortigerns permission.However as the Saxones, following a tribal prophecy that had claimed they would possess the land they had sailed to in 300 years and would raid and harass in for 150 years, demanded higher monthly compensations and the Britanni denied, they started to plunder and raid britanni lands, first those of political opponents of Vortigern, which damaged his reputation severely (440).

Vortigern also tried to strengthen his own affiliation with the saxon ruling family after Hengist and Horsa's revolt by wedding Princess Hródhwyn, daughter of Hengist with whom he had fallen in love and granted the saxones the lands of Cantia.

Vortigern had four sons, Vortimer, Catigern, Faustas, and Pascentius, one of them reputedly from his own daughter whom he had defiled or who had been lured to the participation of such a crime by the hope of sharing his kingdom.

However after the wedding to Rowena , Vortigern's older sons Vortimer and Catigern rebelled against their father and the Britannian clergy and St. Germanus condemned him for taking a pagan wife.Along with his own son Vortimer he also got into conflict with Ambrosius Aurelianus and Uther Pendragon, the younger sons of Constantinus who had fled to Britannia Minor as children, had now returned and become pro-roman generals.

Although Vortigern had realized that the saxones had planned to ursurp him and the Britanni, disgusted with his policies and had replaced him with Vortimer as High-king who now successfully repelled the Saxones (450), Vortigern was able to regain his old position after his son was poisoned by his wife Hródhwyn, and recalled the saxones to solidify his power.At a peace treaty on the plain of Gillinga where the Britanni were to reconcile with the saxons, the saxons however suddenly drew hidden blades and betrayed the Britanni.Horsa and Vortigerns son Catigern slew each other in the battle of Aethelesford and the Saxones besieged Vortigern as Castellum Reexcutio, even taking Vortigern captive, ransoming his life for more territories.When however Merlin prophesied Vortigern that Hengist was planning to kill him he was prepared and able to Kill Hengist first.

Vortigern now took refuge in north Cambria, lost Erirosia to Aurelius and withdrew to Demetia and his fortresses Vortigernia and Genuriga on river Tamesas where he died, ca 455, murdered by his wife Hródhwyn as his wooden fortress burned to the ground from the byzantine fire Aurelius had brough with him and Merlin's conjured holy pillar of heavenly fire (455).

Vortigern however was still officially buried in a small barrow by his enemies, in a valley on the north coast of the Lancea Peninsula, known as "Vortigern's Gorge".

## Timeline

* 417 - Proximus or Osmund and Iorcoramus advice Vortigern to make a human sacrifice
* ca. 417 - child-merlinus phrophesies to Vortigern and saves Ambrosius and Uther
* Merlinus stays at Vortigern’s court for a considerable time, entertaining the king with his tricks and talents
* Merlinus flees with Ambrosius and Uther to Aremorica
* 428 - Arrival of the Saxones
* Optima dies at Portlesquez, Merlinus buries her at Stonehenge
* Merlinus rescues his daughter from Britannia
* 429/430 - Campaign of St. Germanus in Britannia)
* young adult years of Ambrosius and uther
* ? At some point after 440, the Anglo-Saxons settle in Britannia, invited there by Vortigern.
* 440 - Rome abandons any further claims on Britannia; Rebellion of the Anglo-Saxons
* ca. 440-460 - Battles against the Saxons
* 441 - Britannian reign falls to,the Saxons
* 447 - Vortigern calls Hengest and Horsa to assist him against the Picts.
* Vortigern marries Hródhwyn
* 450 -Vortigern rebels.Britannian Kings rise against Vortigern and the Saxons.Saxons kill a Britanni Peace-embassy at Stonehenge.
* Vortigern is besieged by the saxons at castle Rescue
* Merlinus prophesies to Vortigern Hengists attempt to kill him in sleep.Vortigern is prepaired and kills Hengist instead.
* Ambrosius and Uther Return to Britannia
* Merlinus assists Uther and Ambrosius in civilwar against Vortigern
* 455 - last mention of Vortigern.

See:

* Dubris
* Battle of Guoloppum (437?)
* Battle of Wippedesfleot
* Totnes