In the early years of Vortigern’s rule, he led the British people by common consent. His name, meaning “overking”, is a testament to his popularity. But as internal politics tore the country apart, he was forced to fight against his own countrymen at the battle of Wallop. Although he retained his rulership after the battle, the fight had greatly weakened Britain. In parts of the country, Vortigern must have been considered a military tyrant, which was only made worse by his increasing dependence on foreign Saxons to supply his military strength.
In the years directly following on from Wallop, Vortigern cemented his alliance with Hengest the Saxon through marriage to the Saxon’s daughter. As part of the marriage treaty, Vortigern agreed to cede the area now known as Kent to the Saxons. Apart from increasing the internal divisions in the country, this gave the Saxons two major strongholds: Kent and East Anglia.
Then, in 442 AD, with the Saxon numbers swelled by immigration, Hengest unleashed the Saxons upon the British. It was not an invasion, but a raid on a massive scale. The Saxons tore across the countryside burning farmsteads, small villages, and battering their way into several large cities. Large chunks of south-east Britain were wiped clean, the British having either fled or been slaughtered. And yet, the Saxons were unable to take London, which meant they were unable to connect the two arms of their strike-force. It is impossible to say how long the destruction continued, but eventually it dwindled and ceased.
Bloodied but unbeaten, the British struck back. Led by Vortigern’s son Vortimer, the British fought three major battles against the Saxons in Kent and drove them all the way back to the Isle of Thanet. By 453 AD, Kent was once again a British possession.
Perhaps, if Vortigern had still been the popular leader of his youth, he might have found a way to rebuild his broken nation, but it was not to be. When Vortimer died soon after his successful Kent campaign, Vortigern was unable to muster the strength necessary to finally push the Saxons out. Instead, the Saxons were given time to recuperate and reinforce. They soon returned.
As the Saxons once again streamed into Britain, Hengest called upon Vortigern to meet him for a peace conference. Vortigern agreed and led a group of 300 unarmed British nobles to meet a similar number of Saxon leaders. At the conference, the Saxons drew out hidden knives and murdered all of the British apart from Vortigern.
In one treacherous move, the Saxons had destroyed the British leadership and insured their continuing place on the island of Britain. Although spared, Vortigern would play no further part in the struggle. Instead, leadership of the British would pass to two of the most famous and most shadowy figures in English history: Ambrosius Aurelianus and Arthur.
