This year sent the Britons over sea to Rome, and begged assistance against the Picts; but they had none, for the Romans were at war with Attila, king of the Huns. However, stories of his leading an army against invading Saxon pirates, probably in Cheshire, may refer to a different man. Vortigern was a 5th century ruler in Britain, more a warlord at the head of an army than a settled "king". To do so, he arranges for continental soldiers to come to Britain. Then came three keels, driven into exile from Germany . To complete the picture, he had defiled his own daughter, who was lured to the participation of such a crime by the hope of sharing his kingdom, and she had borne him a son. Even so, the accounts of the early historians, especially Nennius, suggest that Vortigern was simply too weak-willed to compete with the Saxon king Hengist, allowed himself to be manipulated, and let the Saxons dominate the Britons. Gildas claims he only asked the Saxons to come after first conferring with a council but still does not show him any respect. Federates were barbarians who were promised land and some kind of stipend in return for military service. We would much rather spend this money on producing more free history content for the world. Vortigern : You and I have a lot more in common than you think. It would be understandable in this kind of situation if a chief should seek help from any armed force available. [Signs the paper. Vortigern dies and is succeeded by Ambrosius Aurelius, brother of Uther Pendragon (Arthur's father). We shall await your coming at our palace. King Arthur : You wanted to know what gave me such drive. . The pattern of barbarians hired as mercenaries turning on their former masters is repaeated all over the crumbling Roman Empire at this time. According to the Historia Brittonum, a ninth century compilation of writings by a Welsh monk called Nennius, Vortigern came to power threatened with three dangers on his mind: Vortigern ruled in Britain and during his rule in Britain he was under pressure, from fear of the Picts and the Irish (Scots), and of a Roman invasion, and, not least, from dread of Ambrosius.. Vortigern's actual name is unknown as are many details about his life. If so, the predominantly Welsh historians who wrote of him (especially Nennius and Geoffrey) could have been particularly upset that one of their own had made so huge a blunder. Vortigern eagerly agreed, but found that Hengist cut the hide into a lengthy thong that was able to encompass the whole city of Caer-Correi (Caistor, Lincs)! The Romans in Britain 43 AD to 410 AD The Romans came to Britain nearly 2000 years ago and changed our country. Bede also adds more information about these savages that Vortigern invited into Britain: he gives a name to their leaders, Hengest and Horsa; and specifically identifies their tribes, the Saxons, Angles, and Jutes. I.27) (13th century) calls him Gurthigerno. Modern scholars have debated the various details of Gildas' story, and attempted to pry open his language after more information. The most obvious and famous was the Round Table itself, given to King Arthur as Queen Guinevere's dowry when they were married. Constans proved a weak and unpopular puppet monarch and Vortigern ruled the country through him until he finally managed Constans' death by insurgent Picts.[6]. World History Publishing is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. Hengist may perhaps be identified with the hero of this name mentioned in the epic poem Beowulf in connection with a tribe called Eotan (probably Jutes). Bede mentions a monument to him in east Kent; Horstead, near Aylesford, may be named for him. Vortigern rarely appears in the later stories of King Arthur, but when he does he is usually the figure as described by either Geoffrey of Monmouth or Wace. History, heritage and traditions. The brothers landed at "Wippidsfleet" (Ebbsfleet) and successfully drove off the invaders, whereupon they received a grant of land in Kent from Vortigern. These conflicts can be understood if we sort the passages into groups reflecting their possible origins. Parking and toilets at Craflwyn and Nantmor. Vortigern was a British ruler in 5th century Britain who is best-known for inviting the Saxons to the land who then tried to subjugate the Britons. Though the subject of many legends, he may probably be safely regarded as an actual historical figure. Geoffrey of Monmouth claims that the two brothers asked for all the land they could cover with a single ox-hide. They were offered land in Kent in exchange for their services fighting the Picts . World History Encyclopedia. According to Nennius, after the Romans left Britain, the Picts and Scots began invading at will. KS2History Shang Dynasty - Artefacts Match Up Game 2.00 ( 0) KS2History Romans Planning Bundle - History and Literacy 10.00 ( 0) Bundle KS2History Stone Age to Iron Age Reading Comprehension Bundle 4.00 3 Resources KS2History Why did the Anglo-Saxons want to settle in Britain? Cite This Work He would be able to solve the High-Kings problem. Anglo-Saxons - KS2 History - BBC Bitesize The Anglo-Saxons were warrior-farmers and came from north-western Europe. The story of Whistle Down The Wind was written by Mary Hayley Bell, whose daughter Hayley Mills appeared in the film version with Alan Bates. They sailed across the North Sea and arrived in Britain after the Romans left in 410CE. Who was Vortigern? Far East Geoffrey names Constans the older brother of Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon. Construction began. Learn Flag of Wales facts for kids. [8] The sources are obscure for the fifth century annals; however, an analysis of the text demonstrates some poetic conventions, so it is probable that they were derived from an oral tradition such as sagas in the form of epic poems.[9][10]. As was clear from its crude writing, it was not the work of the famous playwright, and the play elicited ridicule and laughter from both cast and audience at its opening performance. Hengist and Horsa were brother chieftains from Jutland, who led the first Saxon bands which settled in England. Traditional this is said to have been St. Germanus of Auxerre, who is known to have visited Britain at this time to stamp out the Palagian heresy that had become so popular. Vortigern, Vortiger, or Vortigen was a fifth century warlord, traditionally said to have invited the Anglo-Saxons to settle in Britain as mercenaries, who later revolted and established their own kingdoms. Thus the maid was delivered up to the king, who slept with her, and loved her exceedingly. Whatever Vortigern's motivation or personal weakness, he has been regarded as an archvillain for centuries. Vortigern and his wife Rowena. The dragons were destroying the foundations of the fortress from inside. Vortigern. The Romans invaded other countries too. Anglo-Saxons - KS2 History - BBC Bitesize The Anglo-Saxons | Folio Society The Anglo . Mark, Joshua J.. Your incredible However, the numerous battles with hundreds of thousands of soldiers who savagely annihilate each other are clearly creations of Geoffrey's own unimaginative brain. ), also spelled Vortiger, Vortigan, Voertigern and Vortigen, was a 5th-century warlord in Britain, known perhaps as a king of the Britons or at least connoted as such in the writings of Bede and Gildas. The second detail is his repetition that the visiting Saxons were "told by a certain soothsayer among them, that they should occupy the country to which they were sailing three hundred years, and half of that time, a hundred and fifty years, should plunder and despoil the same. Vortigern is trying to build a tower to defend himself against attack but, no matter how skilled the masons are, the building falls over during construction. The fear of the Picts and Scots was completely natural since the British northern defenses were ineffective and in severe disarray. In addition, Monmouth states that Vortigern was the successor to Constans, the son of the usurping emperor Constantine III. The story of Vortigern adopted its best-known form in the Historia Regum Britanniae of Geoffrey of Monmouth. character throughout legends and history. Mark, published on 23 May 2017. World History Encyclopedia. Even with the support of his brothers-in-law, who were now powerful rulers in Wales, Vortigerns grip on the country was still shaky; but when Severa died the situation worsened. Vortigern was a semi-mythical fifth century king most famous for inviting the Saxons to Britain to help him vanquish the invading Picts of Scotland. The rites of religion shall be done away and the ruin of churches be made manifest. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Vortigern dreaded retribution, for the murder of his father and older brother, but Ambrosius was still young and the High-King could afford to defer any action for some years. Mark, Joshua J.. To aid the Britons in their defense against the increasingly brutal raids from the northern tribes, Vortigern therefore authorized the use of Saxon and Jutish mercenaries, led by Princes Hengist & Horsa. The final fear, of Ambrosius, was to have fatal consequences. And yet history (not only of the 5th and 6th centuries, but over the longer span of record) tells of countless times when a ruler hired mercenaries to fight for him, only to have them turn on him and carve their own kingdom out of his. 425 (around) Vortigern became a leader of the Britons after taking the position from Constans, young son of Constantine II. Updates? Constans' younger brothers, Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther Pendragon were taken to Brittany by a relative. True to the prophecy, Vortigern was slain and Ambrosius took the throne. Geoffrey identifies Hengest's daughter as Rowena. Europe Keep me signed in. Bede also supplies a date (which has been traditionally accepted, but was considered suspect since the late 20th century) of AD 449, "Marcian being made emperor with Valentinian, and the forty-sixth from Augustus, ruled the empire seven years." A small group came at first, and was settled "on the eastern side of the island, by the invitation of the unlucky king". Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. King Vortigern offers wine to Rowena at al fresco wedding feast. The Historia Britonum provides more information on Vortigern than an account of these four battles, which conflict in several points. Vortigern. Eventually the Saxons demanded that "their monthly allotments" be increased and, when their demands were eventually refused, broke their treaty and plundered the lands of the Romano-British. Two manuscripts name him: MS. A (Avranches MS 162, 12th century), refers to Uortigerno; and Mommsen's MS. X (Cambridge University Library MS. Ff. World History Encyclopedia. Wounded in battle, however, he was poisoned by his step-mother. Updates? Horsa, Hengist's brother, was a 5th century warrior who took part in the settlement of Britain . In H.E. But his faith in the Holy Balaur was shaken the day he met Apollyon. In the same way that Geoffrey of Monmouth is credited with creating the character of Arthur, he also established the accepted view of Vortigern as the traitor who betrayed his country to gratify his lust. The sixth book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. This decision on the part of the Saxons would result in several generations of war with the Britons. Vortigern's actual name is unknown as are many details about his life. The Romans had discouraged any kind of independence on the part of the people, and the Briton aristocracy had become so Romanized that they had forgotten a time when indigenous chiefs had led their tribes. Ambrosius Aurelianus (Emrys Wledig), of whom Vortigern had previously had no fear, had by now grown into a burly young man and took his place in the events of the time to lead their struggle. Vortigern (Gwrtheyrn) was from the Welsh borderlands; the story told about him was that he gave land to German mercenaries in exchange for help fighting the Picts, thereby breaking the unity of the Britons against the Saxon invaders. Running a website with millions of readers every month is expensive. Vortigern must, however, have found reassurance in the words of the Jutish chief, as recorded in the Kentish Chronicle: Hengest said to Vortigern. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Gildas adds several small details that suggest either he or his source received at least part of the story from the Anglo-Saxons. This may be the earliest recovered word of English. Geoffrey follows Nennius' account but embellishes with detail, dialogue, and deeper characterization. A ruler in Kent is subject to him, as are rulers in other regions. The 6th-century cleric and historian Gildas wrote De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae (English: On the Ruin and Conquest of Britain) in the first decades of the 6th century. March 15, 2018 by zteve t evans. His decision to invite Saxon help in halting the raids of the Picts and Scots is recorded by the historians Gildas (l.c. Moser, Wolf, Diego de Silva Velzquez. According to legend, Merlin was born during the . When we reach the accounts in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, we are regarded with a great amount of detail. Vortigern was a 5th-century British ruler best known for inviting the Saxons to Britain to stop the incursions of the Picts and Scots and allowing them to take control of the land. (Lesson for KS2) 2.00 ( 0) KS2History Who was Alfred the Great? [Exit Constantius. This saint accused Vortigern of fathering a child by his own daughter. Afraid of such an omen, Vortigern fled. Hengist eventually called for a peace conference on Salisbury Plain. It is only able to support ; The Roman Empire began in 27 BC, and after that single emperors ruled, one after the other, until their deaths.The first emperor was Caesar Augustus. Vortigern is mentioned as a ruler called Guorthigirn, who seems to have the whole of what had been Roman Britain under his authority in some sense. Subscribe for more Horrible History at http://bit.ly/HorribleHistoriesSubscribeThis week we're looking for somewhere in mainland Britain for two Saxon brothe. The Anglo-Saxons: James Campbell, Eric John, Patrick . To make new homes Whole families set sail. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says that they landed at Ebbsfleet, Kent, and that Horsa was killed at Aegelsthrep (possibly Aylesford, Kent) in 455. The first is when he describes the size of the initial party of Saxons, stating that they came in three cyulis (or "keels"), "as they call ships of war". As Rutherford points out, Vortigern may have thought the Saxons would understand the nature of his request and honor the policy of celsine or he may have thought he could use the old practice to control the Saxons somehow. The title 'Vortigern' comes from the Welsh, and it is thought that he may have been a Welsh king. He is regularly depicted as a villain or, at best, weak-willed and unable to control the Saxons once he arranged for, or encouraged, their arrival in Britain. In the end, some ingenious forensic detective work and a visit to the killer's agonized family set up a high-tech, difficult to follow, climax back in the New York City Subway, which . They began to invade Britain while the Romans were still in control. The Historia Brittonum relates four battles occurring in Kent, apparently related to material in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (see below). However, every morning the previous days work was found demolished. Vortigern meets MerlinSchekinov Alexey Victorovich (Public Domain). 17 They were allowed to live on the Isle of Thanet in Kent. Geoffrey states that Vortigern was the successor of Constans, the son of the usurping emperor Constantinus III. Please support World History Encyclopedia. I will invite my son and his cousin to fight against the Irish, for they are fine warriors.'. This is an important point, as it indicates that either at the time, or near that time, there were one or more Welsh kings who traced their genealogy back to Vortigern. The historic kings of Kent traced their direct descent from Hengist, although the Kentish royal house was known as Oiscingas, from Hengists son Oeric, surnamed Oisc (or Aesc), who is said to have reigned alone from 488 to 512. While the need for Rome to protect itself is understandable, their decision to redeploy the troops left the people of Britain helpless against invaders. 01 Mar 2023. Vortigern is referenced in the histories of Gildas, Bede, Nennius, and William of Malmsbury with the most complete account of his story coming from Geoffrey of Monmouth. Getting drunk at a celebratory feast, the foolish Vortigern fell deeply in love with Hengists daughter, Rowena. Hengist manipulates the king by introducing him to his beautiful daughter Ronwen, getting him drunk, and then letting Vortigern think it was his own idea to marry the woman. The most Vortigern families were found in USA in 1920. Mark has lived in Greece and Germany and traveled through Egypt. He chose to build a castle on the southern slopes of Yr Aran, above Beddgelert (Gwynedd). Azure Multi-Factor Authentication. Vortigern is considered an actual historical figure but as the accounts of his life were written by his enemies, his true motivation for inviting the Saxons to Britain is unknown. Later, however, they tricked the High-King again: this time into handing over to them the Sub-Kingdom of Ceint (Kent). Then sent they to the Angles, and requested the same from the nobles of that nation". The Legend Of The Magician. New York had the highest population of Vortigern families in 1880. Rome was a republic before it became an empire - it was governed in a different way, and had rulers that were elected through votes. The first extant text considering Gildas' account is Bede, writing in the early- to mid-8th century. Ambrosius and Uther will both fall battling the Saxons Vortigern has unleashed on the land, but Arthur will avenge them and free Britain through his victory at the Battle of Bath. King Lists: The pillar also states that he was married to Sevira, the daughter of Magnus Maximus,[7] and gave a line of descent leading to the royal family of Powys, who erected the cross. He may have been a "high-king." It is thought by some that Vortigern is not a name at all, but a title, meaning "over king." Even his origins are disputed. Nennius describes Hengist's reaction and the consequences: But Hengist, in whom united craft and penetration, perceiving he had to act with an ignorant king, and a fluctuating people, incapable of opposing much resistance, replied to Vortigern, "We are, indeed, few in number; but, if you will give us leave, we will send to our country for an additional number of forces, with whom we will fight for you and your subjects.". Gildas later denigrated Vortigern for his misjudgement and also blamed him for the loss of Britain. such a vast and ever-growing collection of information with your help, The Anglo-Saxons were made up of three main tribes who came to Britain: the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. According to historian and scholar Ward Rutherford, Vortigern may have actually been counting on the Saxons recognizing a time-honored Celtic practice known as celsine (clientship) in which a weaker party placed themselves at the service of a stronger one in times of need, and when the crisis was resolved, the relationship ended. Vortigern made use of Hengist and Horsa to protect his kingdom against the Picts and Scots and rewarded them for their services with a grant of land. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. (Chapter 37). The Christianisation of the Anglo-Saxons began in Kent, when the Monk Augustine arrived on a mission to spread Christianity. Omissions? Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Accounts written sometime after the event, state that it was Vortigern who hired the Germanic mercenaries, led by brothers Hengist and Horsa, in the 440s. A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. The second detail is that he repeats that the visiting Saxons were "foretold by a certain soothsayer among them, that they should occupy the country to which they were sailing three hundred years, and half of that time, a hundred and fifty years, should plunder and despoil the same." Museo Nacional del Prado, Velzquez: gua, Museo del Prado, Madrid, 1999, pp. His name is Anglo-Saxon for "stallion". A website devoted to the Historical and Legendary King Arthur. Two of the new elements he introduces may come from contemporary oral tradition: the site of the banquet where the Saxons slew the British, located in modern Wiltshire, and the figure of Eldol, Count of Gloucester, who fights his way out of the Saxon trap to serve as a loyal retainer to Aurelius Ambrosius (Geoffrey's form of the name of the aristocrat Gildas calls Ambrosius Aurelianus). 1796. Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms, Dane Invasion, Alfred the Great, Social Order, Laws and Governme. He then exiled the two remaining sons of Emperor Constantin . He promised Hengist anything he wanted, if only he could marry her. Many were killed during the ensuing battles, amongst them, Horsa & Vortigerns son, Catigern. The saint who spent some time in Vortigerns presence probably at Caer-Guricon (Wroxeter, Shropshire) where excavation has revealed the residence of a powerful 5th century noble may have been the Breton St. Garmon who was active across Wales. Later Britons made war on the newcomers, now established in Kent, and four battles were fought, in the last of which, according to the Historia Brittonum, the kings son Vortemir, their leading opponent, was slain. No Saxon defeat is acknowledged, but the geographical sequence of the battles suggests a Saxon retreat and the Chronicle locates the last battle, dated to 465 in Wippedsfleot, the place where the Saxons first landed. The entry on him reads: "A.D. 449. Under Roman occupation, after all, this problem with the northern invasions would have been taken care of without a noble like Vortigern having to do very much at all; but life had changed in Britain considerably since the Romans left. Then Hengist, who had already consulted with the elders who attended him of the Oghgul race, demanded for his daughter the province, called in English Centland, in British, Ceint, [Kent]. The Chronicles are among the objective pieces of evidence which support Vortigern's historicity. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles sum up the situation in a single line: "A.D. 443. Appeals to Rome for help were in vain and so Vortigern, believing he could profit from the arrangement, invited Saxon assistance. The only certainty one gets, after reading much of the secondary literature, is that even the writers close to Gildas in time struggled with the gaps in his account, which they filled with either their own research, or imagination. William does, however, add some detail, no doubt because of a good local knowledge, in De Gestis Regum Anglorum book I, chapter 23. In return, they went to the North and fought the invading Picts for him. Vortigern escaped to set up a stronghold in the west. The inscription on the Pillar of Eliseg, a mid-9th century stone cross in Llangollen, northern Wales, gives the Old Welsh spelling of Vortigern: Guarthi[gern], (the inscription is now damaged and the final letters of the name are missing), believed to be the same person as Gildas's "superbus tyrannus", Vortigern. The writer mentions a great number of sources. His first journey took him from Caer-Rebuti (Richborough) to Caer-Lundein (London) and Caer-Mincip (St.Albans), all in South-East England. Though the subject of many legends, he may probably be safely regarded as an actual historical figure. The tribes included the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. 455? RMWX0C8D - 'Vortigern King of Britain espouses Rowena a Saxon Lady, which occasioned the Settlement of the Saxons in Britain', mid 18th century. Britain 383-410 CENotuncurious (CC BY-SA). Mark, J. J. Without Roman protection, the Britons floundered at first in trying to defend themselves against invasions from the north and incursions from the continent until a great leader, identified in some sources as Ambrosius Aurelianus and in others as King Arthur, rose to lead them. He was the 'knightliest' of the order, protecting the weak and slaying the wicked with his blade and kite shield. Just after the Romans leave, the archbishop of London is put forward by the representatives of Britain to organise the island's defences. The stories surrounding him may have been based in the facts of his life, and may also have been based on events not directly related to him. 1.7 Wace. 3. The legends surrounding King Arthur and his knights have charmed King Arthur is among the most famous literary characters of all Britain was a significant addition to the ever-expanding Roman A detail of an illustration from a 14th Century CE manuscript of Gildas: from Concerning the Ruin of Britain (De Excidio Britanniae), The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle : Fifth Century. The anti-Pict/Irish strategy that Vortigern chose to employ proved to be successful, since these tribes were never a problem, again, and the arrangement between the Saxons under their leader, Hengest, and Vortigern was agreeable to both parties for some time. In the accounts of Gildas and Bede, this is when Ambrosius Aurelianus appears to lead the people and free the land; in Nennius and Geoffrey, it is King Arthur. Ashe points out that the use of federates did not always go smoothly, and in Vortigern's case went terribly wrong, but this should not necessarily be held against him. His name was Myrddin Emrys, or Merlin for short. This Guithelin/Vitalinus disappears from the story as soon as Vortigern arrives. Merlin responds in a speech mirroring that of an Old Testament prophet: Woe unto the Red Dragon, for his extermination draweth nigh; and his caverns shall be occupied of the White Dragon that betokeneth the Saxons whom thou hast invited hither. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Another significant detail that Bede adds to Gildas' account is calling Vortigern the king of the British people. Sort By: Good Essays. and your help is still very much needed. From their secure power-base, the Saxons then demanded more food and clothing to supply their increased numbers and Vortigern refused them, saying, we cannot give you more food and clothing for your numbers are grown. The Saxons, however, would not accept this answer. British Isles Vortigern was a 5th-century British ruler best known for inviting the Saxons to Britain to stop the incursions of the Picts and Scots and allowing them to take control of the land. The oldest known use of the dragon to represent Wales is from the Historia Brittonum, written around 830; the text describes a struggle between two serpents deep underground, which prevents King Vortigern from building a stronghold.This story was later adapted into a prophecy made by the wizard Myrddin (or Merlin) of a long fight between a red dragon and a . He mostly paraphrases Gildas in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People and The Reckoning of Time, adding several details, perhaps most importantly the name of this "proud tyrant", whom he first calls Vertigernus (in his Chronica Maiora) and later Vurtigernus (in his Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum). It is not clear whether Gildas used the name Vortigern. Categories: Arthurian legend | Celtic Britain | English heroic legends | Welsh mythology | Sub-Roman Britain, William Henry Ireland's detailed forgeries, https://academickids.com:443/encyclopedia/index.php/Vortigern, Stories that explain why Vortigern granted land in Britain to the Saxons -- first, A number of calculations attempting to fix the year Vortigern invited the Saxons into Britain (none as convincing as the entry, Genealogical material about Vortigern's ancestry, the names of his four sons (Vortimer, Pascent, Catigern, Faustus), and which associate him with. At a conference between the nobles of the Britons and Anglo-Saxons, [likely in AD 472, although some sources say AD 463] the latter suddenly produced concealed knives and stabbed their opposite numbers from Britain in the back. The Saxons had arrived! The two dragons begin to fight and Vortigern asks Merlin to interpret the meaning. 1. When Vortigern first sees Ronwen and falls in love with her, Geoffrey writes that Satan entered his heart and then elaborates: "Satan entering into his heart, I say, for that he, being a Christian, did desire to mate him with a heathen woman" (VI, 12). This was 100% of all the recorded Vortigern's in USA. He is termed a usurper (tyrannus), but not solely responsible for inviting the Saxons. It is suggested that Vortigern is a title rather than a name. Name is unknown as are rulers in other regions poisoned by his step-mother, there may be the recovered... Every morning the previous days Work was found demolished Myrddin Emrys, or Merlin for short wanted to know gave. Form in the west in east Kent ; Horstead, near Aylesford, may refer to a different.! Of Ambrosius, was a semi-mythical fifth century king most famous for the..., amongst them, Horsa & Vortigerns son, Catigern to come after conferring... 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