British Isles

The **British Isles**, initially named **Albion** and then dubbed **Bretannikē** by Greek explorer Pytheas, are a series of islands off the North-Western coast of Europe. It is comprised of the isles of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and over 6,000 other islands.

The Isles were first colonised by kingdoms of Giants and Celts around 4000 BC. By the year 788 BC, the giants had established rule over the whole region and constantly fought against the people of Cornwall for dominance of the Isles. However, a Latin exile named Brutus arrived on the Isles and assisted the Celts in defeating the giants. Working alongside the Cornish, Brutus founded Troia Nova in the East, becoming the first king of Britian. After several centuries, there were many kingdoms within the lands of Great Britain who were often at odds with each other. This conflict changed, however, after the Romans invaded the Isles in 43 AD. This caused many of the tribes, such as the Iceni and the Brigantes, to unite and fight back against the Romans, led by Queen Boudica. Although the Roman advance into the Isles was severely set back, the rebellious celts were eventually put down by 61 AD.

The Romans ruled the Isles for several centuries until in 410 AD when Romans withdrew from the Isles, although some citizens stayed and mixed with the Celtic Britons. The remaining Britons were under constant attack from the Saxons of Europe.

Eventually, Constans of Britanny comes to rule the Isles but is killed by the warlord Vortigern who takes the mantle of king for himself. He colludes with the invading Saxons, Angles and Jutes and hires them as mercenaries to keep the Britons in line. However, they betray him and form the Kingdom of Kent.

Vortigern's lineage had trouble defeating the invading Saxons until Arthur, son of Uther, becomes king and defeats the Saxons, driving them from the Isles.

After Arthur's death, the Saxons began their invasions of Britain again and after several centuries, they pushed the Britons to Wales, the Midlands and Scotland, conquering the rest of Britain and establishing the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of England in 927 AD.

## **History**

### **The Great Beginning**

In 4000 BC, the glacial land bridge between the British Isles and continental Europe disappeared underwater as the world entered an interglacial period.

As the lands developed, so did the fauna; giants and other monsters began to evolve on the lands alongside the migrated human population. The progress for the migrated Celts, however, was slow and they took their time developing their societies. During this time, the Giant Kingdom became the dominant civilisation in the land, with the giants oppressing the humans and attacking their few villages.

### **Rediscovery**

In 790 BC, a Latin king named Silvius is murdered by his son Brutus. The son is banished and discovered a group of Trojans enslaved by a Greek king named Pandrasus. He staged a slave revolt and held Pandracus hostage, forcing him to let the slaves go. His terms were ships for the slaves to sail in, supplies and his daughter Innogen's hand in marriage. He takes all of them and set sail for the Mediterranean Sea

A year later, in 789 BC, the Trojans land on a deserted island in the Mediterranean and discover an abandoned temple. After performing the appropriate ritual, Brutus falls asleep in front of the statue of a goddess and is given a vision of the land where he is destined to settle, an island in the western ocean.

### **Giant Wars**

The Trojans set sail for Britain, then called Albion by the migrated Celts. In 788 BC Brutus and his Trojans then met the Cornish leader Corineus, who's people were under siege from giants and ogres. The Trojan warriors assisted the Cornish is defeating the giants and kills the giant's leader, Gogmagog the two people allied themselves. The Trojans established their territory along the River Thames and named it Troia Nova (New Troy).

The giant attacks continue for a decade and Corineus is killed by the giant Goemagot in 778 BC. Brutus defeats the giants for killing his ally and drives them into the far North. The rest of the isles unite under his rule after his victory, forming the Kingdom of Albion. Brutus rules the Celts as the first king of Britain for twenty four years until his death in 754 BC. The nation is officially named Britain in Brutus' honour.

### **Legacy of Brutus**

Brutus' three sons, Locrinus, Kamber and Albanactus, divide the county between themselves; the three kingdoms are named Loegria in the Midlands, East and South, Kambria in the hard West and Albany in the North. in 752 BC, the leader of the Huns, Humber, invades Albany and Albanactus is killed. Locrinus and Kamber unite to defeat the Huns and kills Humber in 751 BC, freeing Albany and giving the northern throne to Albanactus' son, Daegar. Whilst Kamber returns to Kambria, Locrinus returns to Loegria and the realm is at peace again. Locrinus dies in 740 BC and passes the throne to his son, Bladud in 740 BC and becomes the first human king to wield magic , but is killed in 737 BC when he attempts to make himself fly.

Bladud's son, Leir, reigns in peace for sixty years. He has no sons, so upon reaching old age in 677 BC he decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. To decide who should get the largest share, he asks his daughters how much they love him. Goneril and Regan give extravagant answers, but Cordelia answers simply and sincerely; angered, Lier gives Cordelia no land. Goneril and Regan are to share half the island with their husbands, Archus, and Dalgus, the great-grandsons of Corineus. Cordelia marries Aganippus, King of the Franks, and departs for Gaul.

In 673 BC Goneril, Regan and their husbands rebel and take the whole kingdom, attacking Kambria and Albany. After Leir has had all his attendants taken from him, he begins to regret his actions towards Cordelia and travels to Gaul. Cordelia receives him compassionately and restores his royal robes and retinue. Aganippus raises a Gaulish army for Leir, who returns to Britain in 672 BC, defeats his sons-in-law and regains the kingdom. Goneril and Regan are exiled from the kingdom.

Leir rules for three years and then dies in 669 BC; Cordelia inherits the throne and rules for five years before Marganus and Cunedagius, her sisters' sons, rebel against her in 664 BC. They imprison Cordelia; grief-stricken, she kills herself. Marganus and Cunedagius conquer Kambira and Albany in 661 BC and divide the kingdom between themselves, but soon quarrel and go to war with each other in 660 BC. Cunedagius eventually kills Marganus in Wales and retains the whole kingdom of Britain ruling for thirty-three years. He is succeeded by his son Rivallo in 627 BC. The nation enters a long peace as Rivallo's dynasty rules over the country. His son Gurgustius takes he throne in 581 BC, his son Sisillius I in 537 BC, Gurgustius' nephew Jago in 501 BC, Sisillius' nephew Kimarcus in 453 BC.

### **A New Dynasty**

Kimarcus' son Gorboduc, has two sons called Ferreux and Porrex. They quarrel over the throne and both are eventually killed during a civil war in 492 BC. This leads to Britain to falling into leaderless anarchy, with only the Kingdom of Cornwall surviving. The decimation of the land led to the destruction of the kingdoms of Kambria and Albany in the land being reduced to ash, with only Cornwall being the surviving civilisation in the Isles.

Dunvallo, the son of Cloten, the King of Cornwall, becomes the Cornish king in 76 BC. He eventually establishes peace in the country, reforms the Kingdom of Cornwall into the House of Corineus and divides the nation into many separate houses so that no disastrous war can occur again. His son Brennius inherits his throne of Cornwall and his other son Belinus is given control of House Trinovantes.

Belinus and Brennius, fight a civil war from 62 to 60 BC before being reconciled by their mother. Belinus' son, Lud, becomes king of House Trinovantes in 58 BC and renames Trinovantum "Kaerlud" after himself; this later becomes corrupted to London.

### **Roman Invasion**

After his conquest of Gaul, Julius Caesar looks over the sea and resolves to order Britain to swear obedience and pay tribute to Rome. His commands are answered by a letter of refusal from Cassivellaunus, leader of House Catuvellauni. Caesar sails a fleet to Britain in 55 BC, but he is overwhelmed by Cassivellaunus's army and forced to retreat to Gaul. He makes another attempt a year later, but is again pushed back.

Cassivellaunus quarrels with one of his subordinates, Androgeus, who sends a letter to Caesar asking him to help avenge the man's honour. Caesar invades once more and besieges Cassivellaunus on a hill. After several days Cassivellaunus offers to make peace with Caesar, and Androgeus, filled with remorse, goes to Caesar to plead with him for mercy, who accepts if Cassivellaunus pays the Empire's demanded tribute. Cassivellaunus pays tribute and makes peace with Caesar, who then returns to Gaul.

Cassivelaunus dies in 40 BC and is succeeded by his nephew Tenvantius, as Androgeus had gone to Rome. Tenvantius is succeeded in turn by his son Kymbelinus in 3 BC, and then Kymbelinus's son Guiderius in 43 AD. Guiderius refuses to pay tribute to emperor Claudius, who then invades Britain the same year. After Guiderius is killed in battle with the Romans in 46 AD, his brother Arvirargus continues the defence, but eventually agrees to submit to Rome a year later.

### **Roman Era**

Claudius returns to Rome in 52 AD, leaving the province under Arviragus's governorship. The line of British kings continues for almost four centuries under Roman rule, and includes Lucius, Britain's first Christian king.

The Roman rule of Britain pushes more and more Britonic Celts out of their homes, forcing the Queen of House Iceni, Boudica, to lead a revolt against the Romans after her husband Prasutagus was killed and her daughters were raped. Boudica herself is killed in 61 AD and the Romans continue their invasion of the island.

After a long period of Roman rule, the Romans decide they no longer wish to defend the island and depart in 410 AD. The Britons are immediately besieged by attacks from the Saxons in West Europe, who see the island undefended.

### **Rulers from Britanny**

The Britons asked Aldroenus of Britanny for help in 440 AD, who sends his brother Constantine to rule the Britons. Constantine dies in 474 AD and the warlord Vortigern assists Consantine's eldest son, Constans to power. In 476 AD Vortigern secretly orchestrates Constan's death and usurps power from the young king. He builds the fortress of Camelot in the South West of the country.

Constantine's remaining sons Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther are too young to rule and are taken to safety in Amorica (Britanny). Vortigern invites the Saxons under Hengist and Horsa to fight for him as mercenaries, but they rise against him and form the Kingdom of Kent. in 482 AD He loses control of much of his land and encounters the wizard Merlin.

After Aurelius defeats and kills Vortigern, becoming king in 483 AD, Britain remains in a state of war under him and his brother Uther and Merlin. In 486 AD, during the continuous string of battles, Ambrosius takes ill and Uther must lead the army for him. This allows an enemy assassin to pose as a physician and poison Ambrosius. When the king dies, a comet taking the form of a dragon's head (pendragon) appears in the night sky, which Merlin interprets as a sign that Ambrosius is dead and that Uther will be victorious and succeed him. So after defeating his latest enemies, Uther adds "Pendragon" to his name and is crowned king.

But another faction of Saxons, forcing Uther to make war again. This time he is temporarily defeated, gaining final victory only with the help of Gorlois of Cornwall in 493 AD. But while celebrating this victory with Gorlois, he falls in love with the duke's wife, Igerna. This leads to war between Loegria and Cornwall from 493 to 502 AD, during which Uther lies with Igerna. Arthur is conceived that night. Then Gorlois is killed and Uther marries Igerna. But he must war against the Saxons again. Although Uther ultimately triumphs, he dies after drinking water from a spring the Saxons had poisoned.

### **Arthurian Age**

Uther's son Arthur assumes the throne in 512 DA at the age of 19 and defeats the Saxons at the Battle of Mount Badon. The invaders are beaten so badly they cease to be a threat. In the meantime, Arthur conquers most of northern Europe in 526 AD and ushers in a period of peace and prosperity that lasts until the Romans, led by Lucius Hiberius, demands that Loegria once again pay tribute to Rome in 534 AD. Arthur declines and defeats Lucius in 537 AD, intending to become Emperor, but in his absence, his second cousin Mordred seduces and marries his wife Guinevere and seizes the throne.

Arthur returns and kills Mordred at the Battle of Camlann, but, fatally wounded, he is carried off to the isle of Avalon by the Nine Sisters, and hands the kingdom to his cousin Cador of Cornwall.

After Arthur's death, the Saxons returned and successfully reclaimed the Kingdom of Kent in 549 AD (actually founded in 519 AD). Although they had a firm hold on these areas, they were unable to advance significantly beyond these kingdoms for many centuries. During these centuries, the remaining Britons were driven out of their homeland slowly by the Angles and the Saxons, becoming known at the Anglo-Saxons. The defeat of Cadwallader in 681 AD led to the collapse of old Celtic Britian. Cadwallader is forced to flee Britain and requests the aid of King Alan of the Amoricans (Britanny). However the voice of a Goddess tells him the Britons will no longer rule and he should go to Rome. Cadwallader does so, dying there in 682 AD.

With the death of the Celtic Briton's last leader, the Anglo-Saxons began to push from the Kingdom of Kent into the mainland of Britain. By 750 AD, the Anglo-Saxons had established control of the Eastern coast of Britain as well as the Midlands, South and South East of the Isles.

### **Divided Britain**

Despite the victory of the Anglo-Saxons, they were separated into a Heptarchy of kingdoms by 800 AD; Northumbria, East Anglia, Mercia, Essex, Wessex, Sussex and Kent. The remaining Britons continued to fight for their land, with the main Celtic kingdoms that survived in this era being Cornwall in Loegria, Strathclyde and Dalriada in Albany and Powys, Gwynedd, Dyfed & Gwent in Kambria. Another Celtic kingdom named Fortriu was established briefly but was destroyed in 803 AD by the descendants of the giants that Brutus had driven into the North.

The Anglo-Saxons continued to slowly push into Britain, defeating the Kingdoms of Powys. Dalriada merged with Strathclyde and was able to hold back the Anglo-Saxon advance. In 850 AD, the Danish Vikings had began to invade the British Isles, attacking both the Anglo-Saxons and the Celts. Although the Celts took advantage of the invasion and fled into their kingdoms in the North and the West, the Anglo-Saxons were decimated by the Dane invasion. Northumbria fell to the Danes in 867, followed by East Anglia in 869 and Mercia in 877. By then, the Vikings had established their territory in the North, the Midlands and the East, leaving only Wessex as the surviving Anglo-Saxon territory in the Isles.

The Wessex king, Alfred the Great, gathered the surviving Anglo-Saxons and established in the fortress of Anthelney. Uniting the Anglo-Saxons, he was able to push back the Danes at the Battle of Edington where their leader, Gruthum, capitulated and signed a peace treaty, defining the boundaries between the two nations. The Danes, who's land became known as the Danelaw and held most of it's conquered land but gave some of the midlands to Alfred. The Celts in the West remained neutral in the conflict and hid in the West of the Isles, which came to be known as Wales.

Alfred established the Burhs, fortified cities where the Danes were unable to advance over, as well as providing a safe haven for merchants and tradesmen, leading the Kingdom of Wessex to become rich and plentiful. When the Danes broke the treaty and invaded again in 891 AD, the Burhs halted their advance for the next three years.

After Alfred's death in 899 AD, his son Edward the Elder succeeded him. Edward and his grandson Ethelstan, Edmund I, and Eadred, continued the policy of resistance against the Vikings. In 902 AD, Edward freed Mercia from Viking rule and restored the kingdom, allowing Ethelred, a Mercian leader, to claim the throne. When Ethelred died in 911, his widow, Ethelflaed, who was also Alfred's daughter, administered the Mercian province with the title "Lady of the Mercians". As commander of the Mercian army she worked with her brother, Edward, to win back the Mercian lands that were under Danish control. Edward and his successors expanded Alfred's network of fortified Burhs, a key element of their strategy, enabling them to go on the offensive. Edward recaptured Essex in 913. Ethelstan annexed Northumbria and forced the Kings of Wales to submit; at the Battle of Brunanburh in 937, he defeated an alliance of the Scots, Danes, and Vikings to become King of all England.

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