Vortigern - King of Britain
Vortigern came to power in the period just after the Romans left Britain.
There was trouble from the Picts in the North, fear of invasion and in-fighting amongst the British.
Soon the Saxons arrived and in the power struggles that followed Britain broke down into individual Kingdoms. Thus Vortigern was amongst the last of the truly British Kings.
Myth or reality?
Relatively little is known about the Kings of this period - Arthur is famous throughout the world but there is very little proof to back up the legends. This period was chronicled by Bede, Nennius and later Geoffrey of Monmouth and is mainly written at a later date and based on the Saxon version of events.
Vortigern definitely did exist, although Vortigern is a title meaning 'High King' rather than a name.
TIMELINE
Roman occupation of Britain - 43AD to 410
British Rule - The Dark Ages
When the Romans first left the country was Governed by a British Council.
In 425 Vortigern took control of the British Council and became King of Britain
Without Roman protection Britain came under threat from the Picts in the North, led by Drust macErp.
At the same time Anglo Saxon warriors began to arrive in Britain. They fought with the British against the Picts and in return were granted lands in Kent.
Soon the Britons and the Saxons were at war with each other and Britain became fractured into many separate Kingdoms, some ruled by Saxons and some still held by the British.
Saxon Kings - 827AD - 1013
For many years Britain was divided into smaller Kingdoms until in 827 Ecgberht unified England. Peace was short lived and it wasn’t until Alfred the Great 886 – 899 that England was finally unified.
Danish Kings – 1013 – 1042
King Sweyn, Edmund Ironside, Canute, Harold Harefoot and Harthacanute were all Danish Kings of England.
Saxon Kings – 1042 – 1066
Edward the Confessor and Harold II
Norman Kings - 1066
