Uther

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Vortigern’s Rule: The Assassination of King Constans

Image by by Matthew Paris – Public Domain

Vortigern and the Chaos  of Britain

According to the Regum Britanniae, or History of the Kings of Britain, written in about 1136, by Geoffrey of Monmouth, Vortigern was a 5th century King of the Britons. He was considered one of the most notoriously devious and immoral kings in British history. To be fair he was only doing behaving as his contemporaries behaved. It was a question of dog eat dog in those days with no quarter given or asked for. He was attributed with most of the blame for inviting the Anglo-Saxon war-leaders Hengist and  Horsa into Britain as his mercenaries, sowing the seeds for the eventual Anglo-Saxon takeover of much of England and the many years of war and strife that was to come.

This is a retelling of how Vortigern usurped the crown of Britain based on the works of Geoffrey of Monmouth. Although his work was once considered reasonably accurate it is now no longer seen as reliable by modern scholars.  Nevertheless his work does provide his own version of the history of Britain and its kings and still has its merits as a cultural product of its times and still wields considerable influence in many Arthurian creations in the modern times. This part of the story of the history of the island of Britain begins with the assassination of King Constantine and the succession of his son Constans.  It continues to reveal how Vortigern grabbed power and ends with the threat of war hanging over him and the arrival of Hengist and Horsa.

The  Assassination of  King Constantine

After King Constantine of Britain had been in power for ten years he was assassinated by a Pict who stabbed him in the back.  After his death the crown of Britain was greatly disputed. The legitimate successor to the throne was Contans, the eldest son of Constantine, but his father had placed him in a monastery.  Although he was unhappy with the monastic life he was not really interested or suited to being king.  The next oldest and second in line was Aurelius Ambrosius his younger brother and the third was the youngest brother whose name was Uther.  Some nobles favored Aurelius to rule while others preferred Uther.  It was finally agreed that both were too young and all were at a loss as to what to do.  

Vortigern Becomes Ambitious

Vortigern had his own ambitions and his own ideas on who should be King of the island of Britain. He preferred Costans knowing that he had little interest in ruling and lacked the necessary qualities and strength of character that a monarch of Britain would need to control and unite the nation. Furthermore, he knew that he had no desire to remain a monk all his life.  Vortigern reasoned that if he helped him escape the clutches of the monastery to become king he could easily manipulate him while all the time working towards his ultimate unspoken goal of taking the crown for himself.  To further his ends he offered to set the unhappy Constans free from the monastery and make him king if in return he would make him his chief adviser. 

Constans: The Puppet King

Constans agreed and left the monastery and  Vortigern took him to London to be crowned king.  The consent of the nobles or the people was never asked for or obtained. Inconveniently the recent death of Archbishop Guethelin meant there was no one else of sufficient authority and stature in the clergy to fulfill such an important role. Conveniently for Vortigern the only other person with sufficient governmental experience and authority to fulfill such a role was himself and he performed the coronation ceremony. 

Constans lacked any knowledge or experience of government and had little or no credibility with the nobles or the people.  He relied heavily on the experience and guile of Vortigern for advice making him the effective ruler of Britain in all but name.  With many of the more experienced nobles killed in the wars with the Picts there were few alive who could match his statecraft and experience and Vortigern was using these personal assets to further his own ambitions ruthlessly.  

The next part of his plan was to remove Constans from the throne and set himself upon it. As always he was patient and bided his time while always seeking ways to consolidate his power at home by clandestine means.  At the same time he secretly used his position to increase his influence with nearby countries. He persuaded King Constans to give him control of the Royal Treasure to keep it safe. The inexperienced king at his Chief Advisor’s request also gave him control of all of the fortified towns and cities of the realm after claiming a fictitious threat of foreign invasion was imminent.  As soon as he had control of the cities he replaced their rulers and governors with his own men ensuring total control over the major fortified population centres.

Vortigern’s Treachery

He then persuaded King Constans that he was in danger and needed more men in his bodyguard to protect him from assassination.  Constans, perhaps bearing in mind what had happened to his father and trusting fully in Vortigern gave his permission to hand pick his personal bodyguard.  This made it easy for Vortigern who told the king that he had received word that an alliance of Picts and Dacians were preparing to attack Britain. He also assured him he knew of some trustworthy Picts who were not involved in the plot and he advised they should be offered a place at his court to form his new bodyguard. They would be loyal to Constans and act as spies informing him on what their compatriots were plotting.  Despite his father having been assassinated by a Pict such was his trust and reliance on Vortigern that Constans agreed.

Vortigern’s real intention was not to protect the king but replace his loyal bodyguards with men of his own choosing whom he believed he could control.  He knew the Picts were quarrelsome and often indulged in heavy drinking and in such a state they were unruly but easily manipulated. He also knew full well that they would have no qualms about assassinating Constans if the seeds of the idea were sown carefully and the right conditions prevailed. Therefore, he was confident that if he set the stage right they would act out the part he planned and take the blame while he looked beyond suspicion and took the crown.

To bring his plan into action he sent messengers to Scotland seeking one hundred Pictish warriors whom he could install as the King’s household guard.  When the Picts arrived he made a great show of welcome.  He gave them expensive presents and a luxury table for them to dine from and he showed them more respect than he gave the King’s original bodyguard.  So pleased were they with his welcome of them they began to see him as their lord and master above King Constans, exactly as Vortigern had planned.

Soon they began to make songs revering Vortigern and belittling Constans.  In these they praised Vortigern as king suggesting Constans was unworthy. They sang these songs in the streets in full view of the public pleasing Vortigern greatly. The greater they praised him the more he praised them in return and bestowed greater favor upon them.  Soon the next stage of his plan was ready to put into action.

The Killing of King Constans

He waited until one day when the Picts were well and truly drunk and solemnly told them the day was coming when he would leave Britain.  Mournfully, he told them he did not want to go but could no longer afford to keep more than fifty men in his retinue. With that he feigned great sorrow and left them drinking to think about it. The Picts were sorry to hear this for Vortigern had been good to them.  They began to think about their own position and how that could change and one of them said,

“Why do we suffer this monk to live? Why do not we kill him, that Vortigern may enjoy his crown? Who is so fit to succeed as he? A man so generous to us is worthy to rule, and deserves all the honour and dignity that we can bestow upon him.” (1) 

After more drinking and such talk between one another they broke into the King’s bedchamber.  They killed him while he slept and then proudly presented his severed head to Vortigern. Putting on a great show of sorrow and tears, while really elated with joy, he ordered the assassins to be bound. Wasting no time he summoned the citizens of London to witness their execution for what he called their terrible crime.

Not all of Britain’s nobles were taken in by Vortigern’s show of false sorrow. Many suspected villainy but with no one left in Britain powerful enough to stop him Vortigern seized the crown.  In fear of their own lives and for the safety of the brothers Aurelius and Uther – the true heirs – they fled across the sea to Armorica.    The brothers were well treated by King Bude who educated and kept them in a manner befitting their royal blood.

As time passed his treason was at last discovered. The Picts were furious at the execution of their own people and constantly attacked and ravaged the border country.  Vortigern was at daily war with them and lost many of his best warriors keeping them at bay. 

The Threat of Aurelius

Over the years in Armorica, Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther were coming of age and sought revenge for the murder of their father and elder brother.  Aurelius, the elder of the two had built himself a formidable reputation on the continent as a war leader and was mustering an army to retake the crown of Britain.  He remembered how Vortigern had favoured the Picts and now he knew he had orchestrated their deaths to remove any witnesses. Now with his own star on the rise he was burning to avenge his father and elder brother and reclaim the crown of Britain.

Although Vortigern was now High King of the island of Britain his troubles were just beginning.  With the growing threat of Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther he began receiving reports of the building of a vast fleet and the mustering of a great army. His spies confirmed his fears that they were intent on taking back their inheritance.  Therefore an invasion force was expected to land at any time somewhere along the south coast of England.  

With the Picts making daily forays in the north of his realm he knew he was in trouble. Taking stock of the situation on both fronts he found he was desperately short of men at arms to defend the kingdom. Despite his military weakness he still had  his political guile and ruthlessness which he used to quell any opposition among his own war leaders. Nevertheless, these were dangerous times with the promise of worse to come but things were going to take an unexpected turn that he would at first welcome and then live to regret.   As the clouds of war were gathering on the northern and southern edges of his realm there appeared completely unexpectedly off the coast of Britain three long ships carrying a detachment of armed warriors from foreign parts. These warriors were under the command of two brothers named Hengist and Horsa and they came ashore at Kent.

To begin with the presence of these two brothers looked to be a welcome gift in nullifying the brothers Aurelius and Uther and countering the Picts and Vortigern welcomed. However, while he was ruthless and treacherous Hengist would prove to be a master beyond compare of deceit and treachery. Hengist also has had a beautiful daughter name Rowena who Vortigern would become obsessed with and marry. All the time across the sea in Armorica, Aurelius was preparing his revenge.

© 12/02/2020 zteve t evans

References, Attributions and Further Reading

Copyright February 12th, 2020 zteve t evans

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Uther Pendragon, the Prophecy of Merlin and the Making of a King

This post was originally published on #FolkloreThursday.com under the title, British Legends: The Lust of Uther Pendragon, Merlin’s Prophecy and the Making of a King May 17, 2018 by zteve t evans and had been edidted and revised by zteve t evans 12 Jue 2024 images may differ from original.

Uther Pendragon, King of the Britons

According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Uther Pendragon was King of the Britons during the turbulent times of the Saxon and Irish invasions. He sired Arthur Pendragon and a daughter named Anna, sometimes known as Morgause (1), both destined to play significant roles in the future of Britain and its people.

Uther was a strong king and a courageous warrior but could also be vain, quick-tempered, impulsive, and ungrateful. This impulsiveness and ingratitude came to the fore when he fell passionately in love with Igraine, the young wife of one of his oldest and most loyal nobles, Gorlois, the Duke of Cornwall. Gorlois had served the king bravely and faithfully and, through his wisdom, had turned an impending defeat into a resounding victory for Uther, who may have been expected to show his thanks and gratitude in another way.

Nevertheless, Uther’s burning passion for Igraine drove him to unleash a violent and bloody war to satisfy his lust, aided by Merlin’s subtle arts and magic. This work draws from Geoffrey of Monmouth, Gildas and Wace, bringing together the potent elements of lust, violence and deception mixed with the magic of Merlin that King Arthur, and his sister Anna was concieved. Arthur would become the defender and great hope of the Britons and from Anna would come a line of kings to rule Britain.

The Prophecy of Merlin

Uther became King of the Britons of the island of Britain after his brother, King Aurelius Ambrosius, died from poisoning. As Aurelius lay seriously ill in Winchester, Pascentius, the son of Vortigern, and Gillomanius, the King of Ireland, had landed with an invading army. With Aurelius incapacitated, Uther, accompanied by Merlin, led the army of the Britons to meet the invaders, who had no idea of the fate that would befall his brother.

On his way to the battle, Uther encountered a most remarkable spectacle, which was seen in the skies. There appeared a star of such magnitude and brilliance it was seen both day and night. The star emitted a single ray of light, creating a fiery mass resembling a dragon’s body and head. Shining from the mouth of the dragon came two rays of light. One extended out across the skies of Britain and over Gaul. The other extended out over the Irish Sea, culminating in seven lesser beams of light. Such was its magnitude. It could be seen across Britain and beyond and filled the people with fear and dread, not knowing what it might portend. n seeing it, Uther called Merlin to him and asked its meaning. Merlin looked up at the sky and cried out in sorrow,

“O irreparable loss! O distressed people of Britain! Alas! the illustrious prince is departed! The renowned king of the Britons, Aurelius Ambrosius, is dead! whose death will prove fatal to us all, unless God be our helper. Make haste, therefore, most noble Uther, make haste to engage the enemy: the victory will be yours, and you shall be king of all Britain, For the star, and the fiery dragon under it, signifies yourself, and the ray extending towards the Gallic coast, portends that you shall have a most potent son, to whose power all those kingdoms shall be subject over which the ray reaches. But the other ray signifies a daughter, whose sons and grandsons shall successively enjoy the kingdom of Britain.” (1)

Image 2 – Comet by Heinrich Vogtherr the Younger, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)

Predictions

In short, Merlin predicted the death of King Aurelius Ambrosius, his elder brother and Uther would succeed him as king. He also predicted Arthur and Anna’s destinies from the star and its rays. Arthur would become king, drive out the invading Saxons, bring peace to the country, and build an empire in Europe. Ana would be the progenitor of a lengthy line of Kings of Britain.

Although undoubtedly impressed by the heavenly display, Uther doubted Merlin’s interpretation. Maybe he did not want to believe his brother was dead, and perhaps he did not want to be distracted by thoughts of taking the crown. Maybe the prophecy that his son would build a great empire and that the future Kings of the Britons would come from his daughter was too much of a distraction. However, he was a pragmatist and knew the immediate peril lay before him, whatever the future, and he was determined not to fail. He was now less than half a day’s march from Pascentius and Gillomanius, who presented a real threat that could not be ignored or postponed. Therefore, with great determination, he pushed on to meet them head-to-head in battle.

The two sides attacked each other on sight, and a furious and bloody fight ensued that raged unchecked throughout the day. Eventually, Uther and the Britons gained the advantage. When Pascentius and Gillomius were killed, the Irish and Saxons fled the field, making for their ships. Uther gained a stunning victory, confirming the accuracy of the first part of Merlin’s prophecy. The next day, as Uther and his troops were savouring their victory, a messenger arrived from Winchester with the grievous news of the death of his brother, King Aurelius Ambrosius. The messenger told how he had been buried in the Giant’s Dance, the monument he had caused Uther and Merlin to bring to Britain, thus sadly confirming another part of the prophecy.

King of the Britons

Returning to Winchester victorious and as the rightful heir to the throne by popular consent, Uther was made king of the Britons of the island of Britain and formally crowned. The celestial spectacle he had seen before the battle and the predictions made by Merlin that had so far proved true had left an impression on him. He ordered that two small figures of gold representing dragons should be made. One he gave to Winchester Cathedral, and the other he took with him in all his future military engagements, which would be many. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, he took the epithet Pendragon from this time onwards. He became known as Uther Pendragon, which means “head of the dragon,” though this is challenged by some scholars who say it means Head-Dragon, or Chief-Dragon, or commander-in-chief. Although he could not know it, the final parts of Merlin’s prophecy would continue to unfold and flower in his lifetime and climax beyond. However, in the present, he had to deal with a series of Saxon threats that would test his leadership to the full, though he would prove to be victorious in all.

The Capture of Octa and Eosa

His brother Aurelius had defeated and executed the Saxon leader Hengist, and the remaining Saxons under Octa and Eosa had sued for mercy. A covenant had been made to ensure that they lived peacefully in lands given by Aurelius and no longer launched attacks against the Britons. But now, with the death of Aurelius, Octa and Eossa no longer considered themselves obliged to keep the covenant. They had been joined by the Saxon survivors of the army of Pascentius that Uther had defeated. With superior numbers and inspired by the death of Aurelius, the Saxons attacked and destroyed many towns and cities in the north. Leading an army of Britons north, Uther caught up with them as they besieged the city of York. The Saxons turned their attention from the town to attack the Britons furiously, eventually forcing them to retreat.

Image 3

Uther and his army took shelter on a mountain crowned by a wood and split by a deep ravine. In the night, knowing he was on the verge of defeat, he summoned his lords and captains to discuss their situation and find a way forward. Gorlois, the Duke of Cornwall, recommended a bold surprise attack at night upon the Saxon camp. To all present, this seemed the best option, and Uther agreed. Under cover of darkness, the Britons took the Saxons by surprise, capturing Octa and Eosa alive and causing the rest to fly the battle, leaving Uther victorious, whereas he had been facing defeat.

Easter in London

According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, after imposing peace on the north of Britain, Uther Pendragon travelled to London with Octa and Eosa in chains and imprisoned them there. He decided to celebrate the Easter festival in the great city and summoned his nobles and commanders to join him. Uther wanted to emphasise his power to his barons and the people by wearing the crown throughout the celebrations. All the dignitaries brought their ladies and families to be entertained most lavishly by King Uther Pendragon, the most powerful man in Britain at the time and he made sure they took note of his power, authority, and generosity when pleased.

Lust for Igraine

Gorlois, the Duke of Cornwall, whose military advice had saved Uther from defeat and gained a remarkable victory over the Saxons, also attended with his wife, Igraine. She was a woman of outstanding beauty and much younger than her husband. When King Uther Pendragon first set eyes on her amid all the stunning ladies present, he instantly became infatuated with her. From that moment on, she dominated his every thought. Throughout the celebrations, he served her personally, giving her the best food on silver platters and wine in goblets of gold. All his attention was given to her and her alone, not attempting to conceal his feelings in public.

Noticing Uther’s behaviour towards his wife, Gorlois took great offence and decided to stage a walkout in protest. Despite attempts by his friends to persuade him to stay, he refused to be swayed and left, taking his wife with him without asking for the king’s permission. Uther was angry at Gorlois for not asking his permission to go but more furious that he had taken the object of his infatuation with him. He was determined to both show his absolute power and satisfy his lust for Igraine. He sent Gorlois a summons ordering him to return to beg his forgiveness for what he claimed was an insult. Gorlois angrily refused, seeing Uther’s behaviour as an affront to his dignity. He returned to Cornwall, taking his wife with him.

Uther, a slave to his infatuation, mustered his army and marched on Cornwall, laying waste towns and cities. Gorlois could do little to prevent him due to the superior numbers of the king’s forces. Instead, he fortified his towns and sent Igraine to Tintagel, his safest refuge. This place was not the remains of the castle we see today but possibly some other type of early fortification that was later replaced. Then, he awaited the coming of Uther at his stronghold of Dimilioc. In this way, he thought their separation would give a greater chance of survival for one or the other.

When Uther learned of this, he besieged Gorlois in Dimilioc but could not break the walls. During the entire time, his mind burned with desire for Igraine, and he could think of nothing else. Finally, he could stand it no longer. He summoned Ulfin, one of his friends, for advice. He admitted to him his great love for Igraine and that he feared that if he did not soon have her, then the passion he held inside for her would kill him.

The Arts of Merlin

Ulfin advised him that Tintagel could not be taken by force, being virtually surrounded by sea. It could only be reached by a narrow path of rock, making it possible for a few armed and determined men to defend against a vast army. He advised Uther to seek the arts of Merlin as he believed he alone would have the skill and knowledge to help him in his predicament. Having no other plan, Uther agreed, and Merlin was summoned, and the problem was explained.

Merlin proposed that he would make Uther into the likeness of Gorlois by using potions and hidden arts. Furthermore, he would also alter the appearance of Ulfin into that of Jordan of Tintagel, a friend of Gorlois, and he would change himself into Bricel, another friend of the duke. He planned that while the army besieged Gorlois in Dimilioc, they would ride to Tintagel.

Because of the changes to their appearance he had enacted, they would believe Uther to be Gorlois, Ulfin to be Jordan and Merlin to be Bricel and give them entry and allowing Uther admittance to Igraine. Having no other hope Uther agreed to the plan.

Merlin used his potions and arts to induce the transformations for the three. When all was done, they rode to Tintagel, arriving in the evening twilight. Seeing who they thought was Gorlois, Jordan and Bricel, the sentries gave them entry. Uther gained admittance to Igraine, and she, seeing only her husband, gave herself entirely to him, and Uther spent the night with her. In the guise of Gorlois, Uther told her he had allowed Dimilioc Castle to be besieged to draw the enemy away from Tintagel to keep her safe. Igraine believed all his words and gave everything he desired that night.

The Making of a King

Image 4 – Transformed, Uther, Merlin and Ulfin Ride to Tintagel

It is said that to make space for a new life in the world, someone must die. On that night, Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall and the lawful husband of Igraine was killed in battle by Uther’s army at Dimilioc. That night, amid violence, lust, and magic, a life was conceived that would become Arthur, the greatest of the Kings of the Britons, and another part of Merlin’s prophecy was slowly beginning to unfold.

In the morning, a messenger arrived urgently requesting to speak to Ygraine. They brought news of the fall of Dimilioc and the death of her husband. However, such were the arts of Merlin; they were shocked to see someone they believed to be Gorlois sitting alongside his wife, hale, healthy, and very much alive. Uther, in the likeness of Gorlois, then embraced Igraine, saying,

“Your own eyes may convince you that I am not dead, but alive. But notwithstanding, the destruction of the town, and the slaughter of my men, is what very much grieves me, so that there is reason to fear the king’s coming upon us and taking us in this place. To prevent which, I will go out to meet him, and make my peace with him, for fear of a worse disaster.” (2)

With the deception now complete and his lust satiated, the magically transformed Uther took his leave of Igraine and left Tintagel with his friends. Merlin then caused them to lose their disguise, and they rejoined the British army at Dimilioc. Uther called his commanders to report to him, and he was told of the end of the siege of Dimilioc and how Gorlois had died.

Although he was genuinely sorry for the duke’s death, he was happy that he was now free to marry Igraine. Returning to Tintagel, he took Igraine as his wife, and they lived in love and happiness. They had a son named Arthur, who became the king of the Britons, and a daughter named Anna or Anne, later known as Morgause.

Uther Pendragon had his heart’s desire, but the world of the king of the Britons was still dangerous. Sickness and disease have no more respect for kings and mighty warriors as they have for poor peasants, and a crippling malaise took Uther. To compound his woes, the Saxon leaders, Octa and Eosa, escaped their prison in London and returned to Germany. Reports came back that they had raised a massive army intending to return and conquer Britain once and for all. These reports were verified when a great fleet landed a great army of Saxons and their allies in the north of Britain. Immediately, the invaders attacked the town and the cities and left the countryside in ruins.

Uther, now virtually incapacitated through illness, entrusted the defence of the north to one of his consuls, a brave warrior named Lot of Londonesia, whom he had given in marriage his daughter Anna, who Merlin had prophesied would provide the future Kings of Britain.

The greatest enemy the Britons had was their pride, for they were often reluctant to obey Lot’s orders, making the realm’s defence much more challenging and less successful than it should have been. Finally, upon hearing this, Uther summoned all his commanders to appear before him and berated their foolishness. In disgust, he swore he would lead the army himself despite his sickness. He commanded a special horse-drawn carriage to be built that would carry him at the head of the army of the Britons into battle.

The Half-Dead King

In his carriage at the head of the army, he travelled to Verulam, now known as St. Albans, to confront Octa and Eosa, where they were laying waste to the countryside. When these two Saxon chiefs heard the sick Uther Pendragon was leading the army of the Britons in a horse-drawn carriage, they mocked him and refused to fight. They called him the “half-dead king” and said that it would humiliate them to fight a sick man on his deathbed and withdraw into the city. In their pride and contempt of Uther, they left the gates open.

As soon as Uther heard of this, he attacked immediately, hoping to profit from their foolishness. His Britons attacked the city, and when the Saxons saw their danger, they were forced to repulse them before it was too late. The battle raged all day until nightfall brought rest to both sides. Realising they were disadvantaged in sitting out a siege, the Saxons decided to try their luck in open battle, hoping to either defeat the Britons or break through their lines and escape.

At dawn, they marched out of the city, and the ensuing battle was bloody and fierce and raged all day. At last, Octa and Eosa fell, and leaderless, the Saxons ran away, leaving the Britons the victors. Those Saxons that escaped headed north, raiding towns along the way. Uther wanted to lead the army of the Britons after them. However, his commanders persuaded him not to because of the increasing severity of his illness.

Seeing they were not being pursued motivated the Saxons to attempt to conquer the entire kingdom of the Britons. They had always been skilled in the arts of betrayal and deception, and now they sought to bring about the death of Uther Pendragon by poison. They sent spies into the camp of the Britons in disguise and spied out the king’s habits. On discovering he was apt to drink from the waters of a clear spring, they poisoned it, causing him sudden death. With the death of Uther, the clergy and nobles bore his body to Mount Ambrius, where he was buried in the Giant’s Dance alongside his brother Aurelius Ambrosius and the victims who fell in the “Treachery of the Long Knives,” the mass assination of British noble by Hengist.

King Arthur Pendragon

According to early chroniclers, the Saxons were encouraged by the death of Uther Pendragon. With their numbers swelling daily with reinforcements from Germany, they sought to take over the entire country and exterminate the Britons on the island of Britain. With the realm of the Britons in dire peril, the clergy and the nobles made Arthur, the son of Uther Pendragon and only fifteen years old, the king of the Britons. Despite his youth and inexperience, he was to go on to free the Britons of the Saxon, build an empire across Europe, and fulfil his part in the prophecy of Merlin. Yet throughout his life, he would be haunted by lust, betrayal, deception and magic, the very elements that had brought him into the world. He would become the most famous of legendary British rulers and heroes, the “once and future king,” who would return one day to save his country from future peril., and from his sister, Anna would come a line of Kings to rule Britain,

© zteve t evans

References, Attributions and Further Reading

Copyright zteve t evans

(1) The names of King Arthur’s family vary from text to text but here we are using mostly Geoffrey of Monmouth’s “History of the Kings of Britain.”

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The Rule of Vortigern, Legendary King of the Britons

1) Vortigern meet Rowena by William Hamilton, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This post was first published on #FolkloreThursday.com on 18th March, 2018, titled, British Legends: Treachery, Murder, Lust and Rowena – The Rule of Vortigern and revised and edited by zteve t evans and published here 28 June 2024, some images may differ from original..

Vortigern

Vortigern was a legendary 5th-century King of the Britons featured in the work of early British writers such as Gildas, Nennius, Bede, Geoffrey of Monmouth and others. There is a debate over whether Vortigern was a term for a High King chosen by a consensus to rule or whether it was the name of a person such as a warlord, lesser King, or political leader.

This work takes it as the name of a person of high status who, through his ruthless cunning and experience, took over the rule of the Britons during dangerous times. He is usually presented in a bad light as a man of immoral and selfish character who used duplicity and deception to rise to the top of the British establishment of his day. Vortigern is usually blamed for encouraging the arrival of the Saxon and Germanic invaders to Britain. At first, he employed them as mercenaries to support him and to fight against the Picts and Scots, but later, he found he could not control them. Some scholars say the ruling elite of the Britons may deserve at least an equal share of the blame through their weakness and disarray in facing their enemies. Moreover, as far as the realm’s defence was concerned, he did the best he could with the resources available to him, which had been seriously depleted by the actions of earlier rulers.

Yet, some early writers pose questions about his morality and behaviour. Indeed, acts of lust, intrigue, murder, duplicity, and betrayal are the hallmarks of his reign. This work presents a brief overview of Vortigern’s rule, looking at some of these alleged acts and incidents, some of which resonate through the ages and are the very stuff of legends.

Vortigern Takes the Crown

According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Vortigern set up Constans, the eldest of the sons of King Constantine II, who had been assassinated, to rule the Britons because he knew he could control him and eventually replace him. After arranging for his murder, he usurped the crown to find that one day, a cleverer and more ruthless man would appear on the scene. That man was Hengist, the leader of the Saxons, Angles, and Jutes in Britain.

After the assassination of Constans by Pict mercenaries controlled by Vortigern, no one else was available of suitable status, experience, or age to take his place. The rightful heirs to the throne of the Briton were Aurelius Ambrosius and his younger brother Uther, who were the sons of King Constantine II and the younger brothers of Constans. Unfortunately, they were just children and deemed too young to take the throne. Vortigern was the most experienced political figure of the Britons at the time and very ambitious. Insidiously, he had wormed his way into becoming the chief advisor of Constans while all the time working secretly to promote personal ambitions and quietly gaining power, authority and the King’s trust.

With the murder of Constans that he carefully and covertly set up, he stepped forward and seized the crown for himself. Not all the British nobles were friends of Vortigern, and some of these, fearing for the safety of the two young heirs, sent them into exile to Armorica for their safekeeping. There, they grew up safely and were taught the arts of royalty and leadership while preparing to return one day and reclaim the crown of the Britons.

Having seized the throne, Vortigern would find ruling the kingdom far from easy. In the north, Picts and Scots made frequent raids into his realm, and he also feared another impending and growing threat.

As the years passed, he was aware of the exiled royal brothers’ maturing and coming of age. He received reports of the building of a vast fleet and the mustering of a great army, and his spies confirmed his fears that they were intent on taking back their rightful inheritance. Taking stock of the situation, he found he was desperately short of men at arms to defend the kingdom.

2) Hengist by John Speed, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hengist and Horsa

While Aurelius and Uther had been growing up in Armorica, the kingdom of the Britons had faced many threats from the neighbouring Picts and Scots, who frequently raided the borders and made encroachments further into his kingdom. To deal with these invasions, he employed Saxon and other Germanic mercenaries to fight for him, and to begin with, this worked well. The Saxons, led by two brothers named Hengist and Horsa, were fierce warriors who defeated the Picts and Scots whenever they encountered them.

Hengist asked Vortigern for permission to bring more of his countrymen from Germany to help fight Britain’s enemies. Vortigern was pleased with the success of the Saxons and readily agreed. Therefore, Hengist brought in more warriors from Germany. Next, Hengist asked for a small portion of land to build a stronghold for him and his people. He only asked for a site that a leather thong made from a bull’s hide could encircle. Again, Vortigern granted his request. Taking a bull’s hide, he made a thin thong of sufficient length from the whole to completely encircle a site of his choosing. On this site, he built his stronghold known as Kaercorrei to the Britons and Thancastre, or Thong Castle to the Saxons. Hengist was quietly pleased with what had been granted and asked Vortigern for permission to bring in even more Saxon warriors, which Vortigern granted.

The Arrival of Rowena

hamilton_vortigern_26_rowena
3) Rowena and Vortigern By William Hamilton [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

More ships from Germany arrived, and with them came someone whom Hengist had said nothing to Vortigern about. As well as men at arms, they brought the Saxon princess named Rowena, who was the daughter of Hengist. She was one of the most beautiful and desirable German princesses of the time, and her arrival would enthral and captivate Vortigern. She would become an important, though covert player, in Hengist’s creeping influence over the King of the Britons.

With the arrival of Rowena and the new contingent of German fighters, Hengist invited Vortigern to a lavish banquet at his newly constructed stronghold of Thong Castle. Vortigern was pleased to accept the invitation, and after being shown around the castle and welcoming the warriors into his service, he was given a banquet in his honour. The wine flowed freely, and towards the end of the evening, Rowena appeared from her bedchamber carrying a golden cup of wine. Curtseying to Vortigern, she said, “Lauerd king wacht heil!”

Vortigern was surprised, delighted, and captivated by the grace and beauty of the girl, and he became enamoured with her. Turning to his interpreter, he asked what she had said and what his response should be. His interpreter told him she had called him “Lord King” and offered to drink to his health. He must answer by saying, “Drinc heil!” Taking the cup from her, he kissed her and drained it.

According to Geoffrey, this was how the tradition of toasting became popular in Britain. A person drinks to the health of someone saying, “Wacht heil!” who answers, “Drinc heil!”

The arrival of Rowena was a critical moment in the destiny of the Britons. Aided by vast quantities of beer and wine and the charm and beauty of this young Saxon princess, Vortigern was well and truly captivated. It was said at that moment the devil entered him, and he wanted her for his wife. For Vortigern, as a Christian, marriage to a pagan would have been a severe taboo. The wily Hengist was aware of this and consulted with his brother Horsa and others of his wise men present. Unanimously, they advised that he marry Rowena to Vortigern and demand the British province of Kent because of her royal lineage. Vortigern agreed to this without consulting his wise men or nobles. Furthermore, he gave Kent to Hengist without the knowledge or consent of Gorangan, the British noble who had ruled there. Although it may be said that Rowena was given to Vortigern, it became apparent that she possessed him.

As Hengist had calculated, his marriage to a pagan princess and the giving away of Kent fuelled discontent in the British nobles, for he already had a wife, three sons named Vortimer, Catigern, and Pascentius, and a daughter. Nevertheless, Vortigern and Rowena were married that night. Although Vortigern was pleased with his new wife, his nobles and sons were shocked and angry at his behaviour and threatened rebellion. Ominously, over the sea in Armorica, a more significant threat was steadily manifesting as Aurelius and Uther continued preparing their invasion plans.

To make matters worse, despite his love for Rowena and marriage to her, Vortigern further alienated his sons and nobles and set the church against him by fathering a child with his daughter.

Vortimer

With the ever-increasing number of Saxons arriving, the Britons became uneasy and openly resented Vortigern’s favouritism towards them. Vortimer, the son of Vortigern, rebelled against his father, took the crown and led the Britons against the Saxons. His brother Catigurn duelled with Horsa in battle, killing each other. After being deposed, Vortigern had remained with Rowena and her father among the Saxons while Vortimer had fought against them. In a series of battles, Vortimer drove Hengist and the Saxons from mainland Britain to the Isle of Thanet, where he besieged them with his ships, regularly attacking them.

Hengist could not match Vortimer and, knowing he was defeated, sent Vortigern to his son to plead for peaceful passage out of Britain with him and his Saxons. While a conference was being held on this proposal, with the Britons distracted, the Saxons escaped in their ships, sailing back to their homeland while leaving their women and children behind.

Rowena’s Poison

Even though Hengist was gone, Rowena secretly kept in touch with her father in their homeland. She allegedly poisoned Vortimer, who fell ill and died, leaving a power vacuum, and once again, Vortigern claimed the crown. With Vortimer dead, Rowena persuaded her husband to send a message to her father, inviting him back in a private capacity, which would allow him to bring a small entourage with him.

Hearing that Vortimer was dead, Hengist saw his chance, raised an army of three hundred thousand warriors, and built a fleet of ships to transport his men to the shores of Britain. When the news of such a vast army reached Vortigern, the British nobles were furious at the betrayal of goodwill and resolved to fight.

After receiving information from Rowena about the British resolve, Hengist devised a different plan. He sent messengers to Vortigern saying that he had only brought such a large army for fear of being attacked by Vortimer, claiming he had not known of his death. He suggested that when he arrived, Vortigern should pick and choose those of his army who should stay and those to be sent home. If Vortigern agreed, he should propose a time and place to meet unarmed and make a peace treaty.

The Treachery of the Long Knives

Vortigern was pleased to accept this as he was reluctant to let Hengist leave, both for the sake of Rowena and because of his usefulness in battle. He set a date for the Kalends of May, which was drawing near, and the meeting place would be the monastery of Ambrius on the mount of that name. Hengist readily agreed but had formulated a secret plan. He ordered all his Saxon soldiers accompanying him to conceal a long knife in their clothing. They were to act friendly and peacefully towards the Britons, encouraging them to drink heavily. When he deemed the time was right, he would cry out “Nemet oure Saxas”, meaning “get your knives,” and they were to seize their knives and slay the Briton nearest to them who would not have understood their language. The only Briton to be spared was Vortigern, who Hengist wanted alive.

The plan worked, and four hundred and sixty of Britain’s barons and nobles were assassinated, according to Geoffrey of Monmouth, and Vortigern was taken hostage. This murderous event became known as the Night of the Long Knives or Treachery of the Long Knives. It became synonymous with Saxon treachery and looked upon by the Britons after that with great anger. Only one of the intended victims escaped that night. His name was Eldol, the Earl of Gloucester. He would help Aurelius defeat Vortigern, capture Hengist in battle, and execute him.

Hengist Takes Control

Meanwhile, Hengist now had Vortigern firmly in his power and, with him, the kingdom of the Britons. Nevertheless, he would not kill him until he had wrung from him everything he needed. He demanded Vortigern give him all his fortified cities and fortresses in return for his life. With no other choice, Vortigern agreed. He was set free to watch as Hengist and his Saxons took London and then York, Lincoln and Winchester leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. Not knowing what else to do, Vortigern took what few followers remained and went to Cambria, where he was to seek counsel from his wise men.

Dinas Emrys: Merlin and the Two Dragons

4) The Two Dragons of Vortigern’s Tower (cropped) – Public Domain

Vortigern finally realised Hengist had dangerously outmanoeuvred him and consulted with his wise men. They advised him to find a strategically defensible site to build a new fortress to keep him and his followers safe, as Hengist had been given command of all the fortified places. After searching what remained of his kingdom, he finally settled on a place now named Dinas Emrys. His builders set to work, making good progress on the first day. When evening came, they went home expecting to continue building on that progress the following day. But in the morning, when they returned, they found all the walls they had built the previous day in a heap on the ground.

Bemused, they rebuilt what had fallen and again broke off from work in the evening, thinking they had set things right. In the morning, when they arrived expecting to make further progress with their work, they discovered once more that it had become a heap of rubble on the ground. This pattern repeated daily, and the building work did not progress. The exasperated Vortigern asked his wise men for guidance. They advised that he must seek out someone not born from a man who must then be sacrificed and his blood sprinkled on the foundations. He sent out his servants to find such a person. After a long search, they returned with a boy named Merlin Emrys, who would one day become the prophet and counsellor of the Kings of Britain.

Vortigern told Merlin he would be sacrificed, but Merlin demanded Vortigern bring him his wise men for questioning first. Vortigern agreed, and after Merlin questioned Vortigern, it became clear that they had no idea why the walls kept falling. Merlin explained to Vortigern that beneath the hill was an underground pool with two stone vessels, each containing a sleeping dragon. One dragon was red, and the other was white. It was the pool of water making the foundations unstable.

Merlin instructed Vortigern to dig below the foundations, and a pool was revealed. He then instructed Vortigern to drain the pool. As he had predicted, two stone containers, each holding a sleeping dragon, were found. One held a red dragon, the other a white, much to the amazement of all. When the dragons awoke, they immediately set about fighting each other. After a long and vicious struggle, the red dragon drove away the white dragon.

The Prophecies of Merlin

Merlin tested the wise men by asking what this meant, but none had any idea. He then interpreted the scene for Vortigern, explaining that the red dragon represented the Britons and the white dragon the Saxons. After a hard struggle, the red dragon would drive out the white dragon but warned it would return centuries later to rule Britain. Then, he made a long series of prophecies that impressed and awed Vortigern, who asked him how he would die.

Merlin told him he saw two possible deaths for him. He told him that as he spoke, Aurelius Ambrosius and his brother Uther had set sail for Britain at the head of a vast fleet carrying an invasion force and were disembarking at Totnes. The remaining Britons would flock to their banner, and they would seek him out and burn him in his tower in revenge for the death of their brother Constans and because he brought the Saxons to the shores of Britain. After finishing with him, they would attack Hengist and drive the Saxons from Britain. The next day, in proof of Merlin’s words, messages arrived in the morning telling of the arrival of Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther and an invasion army that had landed at Totnes. This would be the first possibility.

Then Merlin told Vortigern the second possibility would be at the hands of the Saxons, who were now, thanks to him, at work laying waste to the country. However, Merlin emphasised that he did not know who would get to him first. He predicted that Hengist would be killed and Aurelius Ambrosius would be crowned King of the Britons. He would right the wrongs done by the Saxons and bring peace to the country.

Unfortunately, his days would be cut short by poison. After him, Uther would be King, but he, too, would die of poisoning. He then foretold of the arrival of a king, believed to be Arthur, who would bring peace, unify Britain, and build a great empire. Merlin then advised him to seek out another site for his stronghold quickly.

Aurelius Ambrosius

News of the arrival of the two brothers and rightful heirs had spread like wildfire across Britain. The few war leaders and nobles left after the Treachery of the Long Knives had been scattered and leaderless. Eldol, the Earl of Gloucester, who had survived the treachery of Hengist, joined up with the brothers, as did the remaining warlords and nobles who had not attended the terrible event. They brought together the clergy and crowned Aurelius Ambrosius, the elder of the two brothers, the King of the Britons.

Although there was a clamour from these lords and clergy for the King to battle the Saxons immediately, Aurelius refused. He told them Vortigern would be brought to justice for the murder of Constans and for bringing in the Saxons to Britain. With this vengeance in mind, he marched his army to Caer Guorthegirn or the city or fortress of Vortigern, now known as Little Doward, where Vortigern had sought refuge from the Saxons.

The Burning of Vortigern

There are conflicting accounts of the death of Vortigern, but according to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Aurelius and Uther, with Eldol in assistance, attacked Vortigern’s last stronghold but could not breach the walls after several attempts. Aurelius then ordered that his archers rain burning arrows upon the fortress, turning it into a fiery inferno, killing all inside, including Vortigern and Rowena.

So it was that a man who had become the King of the Britons through treachery and murder was undone by Hengist, the Saxon leader who proved more treacherous, ruthless and cunning than he. Additionally, and importantly, it was Aurelius Ambrosius, in revenge for Vortigern murdering his father and brother and for bringing the Saxons to Britain’s shores, that finally brought about his downfall.

With the legendary Vortigern dead, King Aurelius Ambrosius turned his attention to Hengist and the Saxons, writing a new chapter in the legends and folklore of the Britons of the island of Britain.

© zteve t evans

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Merlin and the Giant’s Dance: The Victory of Art over Strength

1212px-Stonehenge_-_Wiltonia_sive_Comitatus_Wiltoniensis;_Anglice_Wilshire_(Atlas_van_Loon)

By Blaeu, J (Atlas van Loon) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

According to Geoffrey of Monmouth in History of the Kings of Britain  Merlin was an advisor, prophet and magician of kings.  One of his greatest feats was to dismantle a huge stone circle known as the Giant’s Dance situated on Mount Killaraus in Ireland and bring it across the Irish Sea to Britain where he installed it for King Aurelius Ambrosius as a monument to the victims of a Saxon massacre of leading Britons.  What follows is a retelling of the story of how and why Merlin brought the Giant’s Dance from Ireland to Britain beginning with the return of Aurelius and his brother, Uther.

The Return of Aurelius Ambrosius

While the usurper King Vortigern had been misruling Britain in violent times, the true heirs to the throne, Aurelius Ambrosius and his brother Uther had been sent to  Armorica by opponents of the king being too young to rule and to protect them from him.As Aurelius grew up  he entered many of the royal tournaments around Europe and fought for Armorica in many of their battles. He gained a fearsome reputation as a formidable warrior and leader of men.

As he and Uther had come of age, with the help of the King of Armorica, they prepared for their return to Britain.  They intended to, wreak vengeance on Vortigern and defeat Hengist and the Saxons and reclaim their rightful inheritance.   They built a great fleet of ships and filled them with warriors and sailed across the sea to disembark their troops at Totnes.  News of their arrival spread like wildfire.  The remaining warlords of the Briton flocked to their cause making Aurelius the King of Britain.  After a series of battles they defeated their enemies killing Vortigern and Hengist and succeeded in driving out the Saxons.

As he had marched to battle King Aurelius had been appalled at the damage and suffering the Saxons had caused.  Now victorious, he called a council of his lords and clergy to discuss and plan the rebuilding of war-ravaged Britain.  He brought back the old laws and returned lands to those that had lost them to the Saxons.  Where there was no living heir he divided these lands among his loyal followers.

The Treachery of the Long Knives

He travelled through many towns and cities and eventually arrived in Winchester. Then he traveled to Kaercaradduc, now known as Salisbury and at the instigation of Bishop Eldad visited the monastery of Ambrius.  This was the place where the murder of the British lords and nobles took place at the instigation of Hengist.  This event had scarred the psyche of the Britons and became known as The Treachery of the Long Knives. Aurelius visited the burial place of the victims and was overcome with emotion with the terrible event that happened there.  He began to think about an appropriate monument to remember and honour the victims by so that Britons should never forget the treachery wrought by Hengist and the Saxons

Seeking inspiration he brought together the best masons, carpenters and artisans in Britain  telling them to design and build a fitting monument.   After much deliberation these worthy men went to King Aurelius and told him despite their skills and craftsmanship they could not between them come up with a fitting design.  Then the archbishop of the City of the Legions, stood up and said,

“If any one living is able to execute your commands, Merlin, the prophet of Vortigern, is the man. In my opinion there is not in all your kingdom a person of a brighter genius, either in predicting future events, or in mechanical contrivances. Order him to come to you, and exercise his skill in the work which you design.” (1)

Merlin had gained fame when he had revealed to Vortigern the  two hidden dragons that  were hidden in a pool that caused building work on a new stronghold to collapse.  He also predicted the arrival of Aurelius Ambrosius and his brother Uther with an invasion force to take back the crown of Britain.  Merlin also forewarned Vortigern that he saw two deaths for him: one by Aurelius and the other by the Anglo-Saxons.  It so happened that Aurelius reached him first and burnt him to death in his stronghold.  Merlin also predicted there would come a king who would drive out the Anglo-Saxons from Briton and create an empire in Europe and that would be Arthur.

Merlin’s Advice

Hearing what was said, Aurelius sent messengers to find and bring back Merlin.  The messengers traveled to all parts of the country and eventually found him.  The message was given and Merlin was escorted to the court of King Aurelius Ambrosius.  Aurelius welcomed Merlin warmly and made it clear he was very pleased to see him.  He was genuinely curious about him and his prophecies asking many questions concerning them. Then he requested that he make a prophecy there and then.  Merlin declined saying,

“Mysteries of this kind are not to be revealed but when there is the greatest necessity for it. If I should pretend to utter them for ostentation or diversion, the spirit that instructs me would be silent, and would leave me when I should have occasion for it.” (2)

Others present urged and encouraged him but he flatly refused. Aurelius, respecting Merlin’s answer changed the subject and told him of his idea to built a fitting monument to those who died during The Treachery of the Long Knives.   He explained how the best craftsmen and masons in Britain could not think of a suitable design and requested his opinion  on the matter.  Merlin replied,

“If you are desirous,to honour the burying-place of these men with an everlasting monument, send for the Giant’s Dance, which is in Killaraus, a mountain in Ireland. For there is a structure of stones there, which none of this age could raise, without a profound knowledge of the mechanical arts. They are stones of a vast magnitude and wonderful quality; and if they can be placed here, as they are there, round this spot of ground, they will stand for ever.” (3)

King Aurelius Ambrosius was bemused and laughed out loud thinking he was not serious saying,

“How is it possible to remove such vast stones from so distant a country, as if Britain was not furnished with stones fit for the work?”  (4)

However, Merlin was very serious and told him sternly,

“I entreat your majesty to forbear vain laughter; for what I say is without vanity. They are mystical stones, and of a medicinal virtue. The giants of old brought them from the farthest coast of Africa, and placed them in Ireland, while they inhabited that country. Their design in this was to make baths in them, when they should be taken with any illness.

For their method was to wash the stones, and put their sick into the water, which infallibly cured them. With the like success they cured wounds also, adding only the application of some herbs. There is not a stone there which has not some healing virtue.” (5)

Then Aurelius and all those present fell silent at the words of Merlin.  Aurelius discussed the proposal with those present and it was agreed that such a monument to the dead would be fitting.  The king’s younger brother, Uther was appointed command of an army fifteen thousand strong.  He was to travel to Ireland to Mount Killaraus and bring the stones back to Britain using any means necessary including force.   Merlin was also sent with him as his advisor and to direct the work in uprooting and transporting thèm from the legendary mountain back across the sea to Britain and then to their final destination at Ambrius.  Once there, he would set them up exactly as they had been in Ireland.   A suitable fleet of ships was built to carry the stones and the army under the leadership of Uther, with Merlin as his advisor, set sail for Ireland.

The Taking of the Giant’s Dance

The King of Ireland was a young man named Gillomanius.  When he heard of the landing of an army of Britons  upon the shores of his kingdom be wasted no time in mustering his own warriors to counter the threat.  On being told the motive for their presence he laughed long and loudly.  He poured scorn and derision on them saying,

“No wonder a cowardly race of people were able to make so great a devastation in the island of Britain, when the Britons are such brutes and fools. Was ever the like folly heard of? What are the stones of Ireland better than those of Britain, that our kingdom must be put to this disturbance for them? To arms, soldiers, and defend your country; while I have life they shall not take from us the least stone of the Giant’s Dance.” (6)

Gillomanius ordered his army into defensive positions around the stones.  Uther, seeing the Irish intent to defend the Giant’s Dance and with his mission and goal clear commanded the army of the Britons to attack.   The Britons forced the Irish to scatter preventing them from uniting. Gillomanius was routed and forced off Mount Killaraus leaving the stones to the Britons.

When at last they stood on Mount Killaraus before the Giant’s Dance, Uther and the Britons were full of admiration for what they saw and stood in awe looking at them.  Then Merlin came among the army of the Britons and challenged them saying,

“Now try your forces, young men, and see whether strength or art can do the most towards taking down these stones.” (7)

Taking up the challenge the soldiers went to work work trying all sorts of levers and pulleys with great lengths of ropes and cables.  They pulled, pushed and sweated and strained  but no matter how hard they tried they could not move a single stone one inch.

After watching their efforts for some time in quiet amusement Merlin then took command of the project.   He showed them how to construct engines he had designed and under his watchful eye and supervision the stones were taken easily from the ground and transported to the ships and placed safely on board.  When all the stones were loaded the fleet set off under a fair wind to Britain where Merlin supervised their transport to the site prepared at Ambrius.

When messengers brought the news of their arrival in Britain to King Aurelius Ambrosius he was overjoyed.  He summoned all of Britain’s noblemen and clergy to celebrate the feast of the Pentecost at the monastery of Ambrius to formally dedicate the monument to those fallen in The Treachery of the Long Knives.   The celebrations lasted for three days and in front of the whole assembly and with respect to all royal protocol, Aurelius placed the crown of Britain on his head.  Then he sent for his servants and insisted they join with the nobles and clergy in feasting as thanks for their excellent and loyal service.

The Victory of Art over Strength

He then attended to all necessary business matters and appointed bishops to the vacant sees of York and the City of Legions, known today as Caerleon.  He gave York to Sanxo and the City  of Legions to Dubricius.  After he had settled other affairs of his realm he commanded Merlin to reconstruct the Giant’s Dance around the graves of the victims of the Saxon treachery.   Merlin used the same arts and techniques he had used on Mount Killaraus to quickly install the Giant’s Dance on their new site exactly as they had been in Ireland.   Once erected the Giant’s Dance proved to be a most fitting and enduring monument as King Aurelius had intended and answered Merlin’s challenge proving “the victory of art over strength” 

When King Aurelius Ambrosius died he was buried in the Giant’s Dance and his younger brother Uther became King of Britain.  When Uther died through treachery he too was buried there and today the Giant’s Dance still stands as a monument to the victims of treachery and betrayal.

© 21/11/2017 zteve t evans

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Copyright November 22st, 2017 zteve t evans

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Vortigern’s Rule: The Treachery of the Long Knives

The_murder_of_Raymond_Trencavel

By Noel Sylvestre (1847-1915) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Treachery and Betrayal

The Treachery of the Long Knives was a legendary event that was allegedly inflicted upon the unsuspecting British King Vortigern and his chieftains by the Saxon mercenary leader Hengist in the 5th century.  It was seen as a supreme act of treachery and betrayal by the Britons and is mentioned in the 6th-century work Historia Brittonum attributed to Nennius.   Later Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century in his work Historia Regum Britanniae (The History of the Kings of Britain) presents a slightly different version.  The work presented here is drawn from both versions.

Hengist and Horsa

The legend tells how after Vortigern had usurped the crown of Britain he turned to the Saxons led by the brothers Hengist and Horsa for help in fighting the Picts and Gaels who were ravaging his kingdom. The Saxons proved an effective fighting force driving out his enemies.  As a reward for their services he gave them the Isle of Thanet, Kent, as well provisions and gifts in gratitude.

Despite being richly rewarded the Saxons were not satisfied with the land and gifts and had a bigger game plan in their minds which they kept secret from Vortigern. They wanted Britain to rule for themselves and had a plan to get their way.  Hengist and Horsa cleverly manipulated Vortigern into allowing them to bring in more of their people from overseas in the pretense of helping to secure Britain from its enemies. They were hugely successful in battle and in return for their services in securing his kingdom they successfully persuaded Vortigern to grant more land and let them bring in more of their people.

Vortigern had become infatuated with the daughter of Hengist whose name was Rowena. Hengist gave her to him in marriage to curry favor, reinforce his web of deception and to have another hold over Vortigern.  All along he had loftier designs and all the time was planning and plotting to overthrow Vortigern and take control of Britain.  Vortigern allowed more and more Saxons into Britain giving them land in the north of the country to protect the rest of Britain from raids from Scotland, but as their numbers grew so did their power. The growing power of the Saxons and the increasing dependence of Vortigern on them and the favor he showed to them began to concern some of his own warlords including Vortimer his son. With backing from other British nobles and barons, he took the crown and attacked the Saxons finally defeating them after four battles.

Vortimer’s Successes

Vortimer fought the Saxons courageously and successfully while his father remained with Hengist. During one of the battles, Horsa was killed and some accounts say it was by Catigern, another of Vortigern’s sons. Some accounts say they met in battle and fought in a duel killing each other, though it cannot be verified. After Vortimer had successfully driven out Hengist and the Saxon, he was poisoned, allegedly by Rowena, who was now his step-mother, being the wife of Vortigern and the daughter of Hengist. After the death of his son, Vortigern retook the crown of Britain and at Rowena’s request invited her father back to Britain in a private capacity. He gave permission for him to bring a small and limited armed entourage to provide protection for him and his servants. Hengist had feared Vortimer but hearing that he was dead instead of bringing a small entourage assembled an army of three hundred thousand warriors and built a fleet of ships to carry them to Britain.

When the news of such a vast warlike army reached Vortigern and his princes and barons they were angry and vowed to fight and drive them from Britain. Rowena sent a message warning her father that the Briton’s intended to fight and Hengist set about making a new plan. He considered several different approaches and in the end settled for a great show of peace towards Vortigern and the Britons.

He sent envoys to Vortigern with a message of lies claiming that he had not raised such a great army to stay with him or threaten Britain. The reason he claimed to have brought them was that he believed Vortimer still lived and he feared he would be attacked by him. However, now he had received news confirming his death and therefore he proposed that he put himself and his army to the judgment of Vortigern. It would be up to him to decide who and how many should stay and who and how many should return home. He further proposed that if this plan was agreeable to Vortigern that he should decide a time and place where they could meet and discuss the details together.

The Treachery of the Long Knives

Vortigern was pleased with the proposal and accepted. He had been unhappy that Hengist and his people had been driven out by his son and sent a message back with the envoys saying they would meet at the monastery of Ambrius on the kalends of May which were near.  The peace discussions would take place at a banquet where the matters would be discussed peacefully no weapons were to be carried.

With these matters agreed, Hengist invented a new more villainous plan and ordered that all his men were to conceal a long knife in their clothes at the banquet. When the wine was flowing and the Britons suitably relaxed he would shout, “Nemet oure Saxas”. His men would then stab the nearest Briton to them. With this villainy in mind, Hengist and his Saxons attended the conference at the appointed time and place. When he deemed it an appropriate time he shouted his command which the Britons not knowing their language did not understand. His Saxons took out their long knives and stabbed the nearest unarmed and unsuspecting Briton. While this was taking place Hengist took Vortigern prisoner.

Eldol Escapes

The Saxons killed all except one of the unsuspecting and unarmed Britons who had come expecting to talk peace. Nevertheless, although surprised and unarmed they fought bravely and ferociously and succeeded in killing a great number of Saxons before the fell.  Only Eldol, Earl of Gloucester got away having found a wooden stake which he used with deadly effect as a weapon fighting his way to a horse and escaping.  He would later join up with Aurelius Ambrosius and his brother Uther to take revenge on both Vortigern and Hengist. He held Vortigern responsible for bringing in the Saxons and whose foolishness had allowed the massacre.  He hated Hengist the Saxon leader and perpetrator of the bloodbath as enemy of Britain and betrayer of good faith.

According to Nennius three hundred were killed but Geoffrey of Monmouth claimed as many as four hundred and sixty of the ruling barons and nobility of Britain had been killed and these were buried by bishop Eldad who gave them a Christian burial near the monastery of Ambrius near Salisbury. This had been a disaster for the Britons and had a profound effect on the British psyche. It derived them from many of their barons and war leaders making it possible for Hengist to effectively take control of the country virtually unopposed.

Hengist

Hengist now with Vortigern at his mercy demanded that he give to him the strongholds and fortified cities of Britain or be killed. With no other choice, Vortigern gave Hengist everything he demanded. With Britain effectively bereft of leadership, Hengist marched his army to London laying waste the countryside along the way and occupying that city. With London secure, he then took Winchester, York, and Lincoln burning and raising towns and villages along the way.

Vortigern Flees

When Vortigern saw the destruction the Saxons wreaked upon Britain he fled to Cambria having no other idea of what to do knowing he could not stand against them. Calling together his wise men he asks their advice. After consulting together they agreed he should find some strategically defensive place where a strongly fortified tower could be built that would offer him safety, for now, he had no safe place to stay anywhere in Britain. The place he chose was believed to have been Dinas Emrys but it did not prove to be a good choice as the building works kept tumbling down.

The Prophecy of Merlin

It was here Merlin comes to play an important role in the affairs of Britain. Merlin prophesied that there were two dragons, one red and one white, buried in a pool under the foundations which was the reason why the walls fell down. Furthermore, it was here that he prophesied the arrival of Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther the rightful heirs to the crown of Britain with an invasion force to reclaim the throne from him. With news of their arrival, the surviving war leaders flocked to his banner and Aurelius was made the king.

Significantly, Merlin also prophesied the defeat of the Saxons by the Boar of Cornwall, the symbol of Arthur Pendragon, who would eventually be king. He told Vortigern he needed to find another site for his fort and that he faced two deaths. One from Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther when they caught up with him.  The from the Saxons and Merlin told him he did not know which it would be.  It so happened that Aurelius Ambrosius and Uther, with the help of Eldol, caught up with him first burning him and his wives to death in their stronghold. They would then turn their attention on Hengist and succeeded in defeating the Saxons.

Once Britain was at peace, King Aurelius instructed his brother Uther and his adviser, Merlin to bring him the Giant’s Dance from Mount Killaraus in Ireland. After Uther had defeated the Irish king Merlin transported the Giant’s Dance to Britain and installed it at Ambrius. There it made a fitting monument to the victims of the Treachery of the Long Knives. Both he and Uther were buried there when their time came both and both were killed by treachery and the term became synonymous with betrayal and deceit through the ages.

Nazi Germany

The term was believed to have been adapted to describe a purge that took place in Nazi Germany from 30 June to 2nd July, 1934 and called The Night of the Long Knives. This was a series of extrajudicial killings of leading members of the Nazi’s own paramilitary organization, the Sturmabteilung but also known as the Brownshirts, because of the color of the clothes they wore. Hitler believed the Brownshirts had become a threat to his political power and the purpose of the murders was to strengthen his grip on power in Germany. Such was its power that variations of the term are still used to describe sudden political purges around the world yet there is no proof that the event ever took place.

© 15/11/2017 zteve t evans

References, Attributions and Further Reading

Copyright November 15th, 2017 zteve t evans

by

Merlin and the Prophecy of the Star and the Fiery Dragon

waldemar_flaig_stern_von_bethlehem_1920

Waldemar Flaig [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

King Aurelius Ambrosius

The legendary Merlin is one of the best known characters in Arthurian legend and romance and many remarkable feats are attributed to him.  In The History of the Kings of Britain (Historia regum Britanniae) written about 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth he was an advisor, magician and prophet of kings.  Presented here is a retelling of one of his prophecies inspired by a comet that reveals the death of the King  of the Britons, Aurelius Ambrosius.   He predicts his younger brother Uther would take the crown and from him would come a king who would be the hope and inspiration of the Britons and a daughter who would beget a line of kings.  The story begins after Ambrosius had driven out the Saxons and pacified the Picts on the borderlands to establish himself as undisputed King of the Britons after a long hard fight against powerful enemies.

Uther

Even the great and the good can fall sick and Aurelius Ambrosius, the King of the Britons  fell seriously ill.   At this time,  Pascentius, a son of his old enemy Vortigern and Gillomanius the King of Ireland both bore him a grudge and plotted together against him.  Gillomanius hated him for commanding his younger brother Uther and Merlin to bring back the Giant’s Dance from Mount Killaraus in Ireland at any cost.  Consequently Uther fought the Irish king in battle over the stones and defeated.  Then Merlin used his arts to uproot them and transport them to a new site in Britain. Pascentius hated him for killing his father the former king and defeating him in an earlier battle and because he believed he should be king.  They  joined forces and landed with a powerful army at Menevia.  With the king lying in his sick bed, Uther, the younger brother of Aurelius, took it upon himself to defend the kingdom against the invaders and with Merlin to advise him led his troops to meet the foe.

The Star and the Fiery Dragon

On their march to battle, Uther and his army were amazed to see in the heavens a star of such brilliance it not only lit up the night sky, but could be seen plainly in daylight. Never had Uther or any of his men seen anything like it before.  They were astounded by it and also frightened.  From the star there sprang a single ray of light that formed into a shape like that of a fiery dragon. From the dragon’s mouth two rays were emitted.  One stretched out reaching across Britain and across the sea and into Gaul. The other stretched across the Irish Sea and divided into seven smaller rays of equal length.  The whole display could be seen across all of Britain and beyond.  The people were filled with fear and awe not knowing of its meaning and fearing it portended some terrible event and Uther called upon Merlin for an explanation.  Merlin, who had foretold the death of Vortigern the previous king and made the Prophesy of the Two Dragons and other predictions looked upon the spectacle and then cried out,

“O irreparable loss! O distressed people of Britain! Alas! The illustrious prince is departed! The renowned king of the Britons, Aurelius Ambrosius, is dead! whose death will prove fatal to us all, unless God be our helper. Make haste, therefore, most noble Uther, make haste to engage the enemy: the victory will be yours, and you shall be king of all Britain, For the star, and the fiery dragon under it, signifies yourself, and the ray extending towards the Gallic coast, portends that you shall have a most potent son, to whose power all those kingdoms shall be subject over which the ray reaches. But the other ray signifies a daughter, whose sons and grandsons shall successively enjoy the kingdom of Britain.” (1)

Although Uther was also in awe of the spectacle he doubted Merlin.  He was now within half a day’s march of Menevia and Pascentius and Gillomius and knew he could not return to Winchester and allow them to move inland with such a great army.  Therefore, he decided to confront them as quickly as possible and pressed on.

Uther’s Victory

Pascentius and Gillomanius soon became aware of the approach of Uther and ordered their own troops into battle formation and moved to meet the Britons.  As soon as the two sides met battle commenced. No quarter was asked and none given by the Irish or the Britons and the fighting was bloody and fierce with much loss of life on both sides.  As the day wore on the Britons gained the upper hand killing both Pascentius and Gillomanius.  With the deaths of their leaders the enemy broke and scattered giving Uther absolute victory.  He chased and harried the enemy back to their ships killing any that that were caught.

The Death of Aurelius

With the enemy flying before him Uther rested and savoured his victory but soon there came a messenger from Winchester that brought the sad news of the death of King Aurelius Ambrosius of the Britons.   The messenger told him Aurelius had received a fitting funeral conducted by the most celebrated clergy in the land.  They had deemed it proper that he be buried with all royal ceremony inside the Giant’s Dance.  This had seemed the most fitting burial place for him having been obtained and built at his instigation as an everlasting memorial to commemorate the victims of the The Night of the Long Knives.

Uther is Crowned King

Although Uther had enjoyed his victory, the death of his elder brother grieved him greatly.  This made him more determined to see through the great events they had been through together.  With his brother dead, Uther was now the rightful heir to the kingdom of Britain.  Calling together all the clergy and nobles in the land with their unanimous agreement and support he was crowned King of Britain.

Uther Pendragon

Taking inspiration from the rayed star and the fiery dragon he had seen before the battle and from Merlin’s prophecy he commanded two statuettes of solid gold to be made.  One he gave to Winchester Cathedral, but the second he kept for himself. From that time onward it was carried with him in all of his battles and this is how he came to be called Uther Pendragon, meaning head of the dragon.   From Uther Pendragon would come a son named Arthur Pendragon, who was destined to be the great hope of the Britons and a daughter named Anna.

 

© 08/11/2017 zteve t evans

References, Attributions and Further Reading

Copyright November 8th, 2017 zteve t evans

(1)  [PDF] History of the Kings of Britain – York University – Page 138

Waldemar Flaig [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsWaldemar Flaig [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons