King Vortigern was a controversial ruler who is believed to have controlled part of Britain in the murky period after the Romans abandoned the island nation in 410 AD. With Britain vulnerable following the departure of Roman forces, Vortigern tried to lead the Britons against invasions by Picts and Scots from the north.
However, his decision to invite Saxon warriors into eastern Britain as mercenaries would have disastrous consequences. The Saxons revolted, taking over territory and effectively ending Celtic control of Britain.
It was in these uncertain times that Vortigern’s story becomes intertwined with the mysterious wizard Merlin, who appeared before the king with famous prophecies and visions. The legends surrounding Vortigern and Merlin capture the tumultuous transition from Roman rule to Anglo-Saxon dominance in Britain during the 5th and 6th centuries AD.
Background of Post-Roman Britain
After the Romans departed Britain in 410 AD, the country entered a turbulent period. Power vacuums, invasions from Picts and Scots in the north, and an unstable political climate meant Britons struggled to defend themselves. Germanic tribes, including the feared Angles and Saxons, were hired as mercenaries to help fight enemies. However, these Anglo-Saxons ended up settling in eastern Britain and expanding their territories.
Enter King Vortigern
It was amidst this chaos that King Vortigern emerged as a ruler, trying to bring unity and order back to Britain. Details about Vortigern’s background are hazy, but legends describe him as seizing control during the power vacuum after the Romans left (see more) . He made deals with Saxons to maintain peace and to help combat Scots and Picts. However, his alliances backfired.
The Mysterious Wizard Merlin
In legends and early medieval writings, King Vortigern’s story becomes entwined with the mysterious wizard Merlin. A prophetic figure, Merlin was said to have advised Vortigern at a crucial time through mystical means. Merlin is a seminal figure of medieval British legend, though his origins and background are unclear. He is most famous for his appearances in later Arthurian tales, though initially Merlin factors into Vortigern’s story in intriguing ways.
King Vortigern’s Rule
Alliances with Saxons With threats from Picts and Scots coming from the north, Vortigern allowed Saxon warriors led by Hengist and Horsa to settle in eastern Britain, hoping to create allies to fight his enemies. The Saxons were given the Isle of Thanet in Kent as part of this alliance. However, tensions arose between Britons and Saxons, culminating in a legendary banquet where Hengist ordered the killing of 300 British lords. The alliance collapsed into conflict.
Loss of Control and Power Hengist’s Saxons revolted against Vortigern, taking over Kent and expanding. Vortigern was forced to make concessions, even marrying Hengist’s daughter Rowena to form a peace pact. However, Vortigern continued to lose power and territory to the Saxons. He fled north, resigning eastern Britain to Saxon domain.
Attempts to Build Strongholds Seeking defensive fortifications against the Saxons, Vortigern attempted to build strongholds in north Wales, likely in Snowdonia. However, chroniclers wrote that Vortigern’s architects repeatedly failed at constructing a lasting edifice. The fortifications kept collapsing, leading a desperate Vortigern to consult his wise men for answers.
Merlin’s Prophecy
Consulting the Wise Men
After the repeated failure to build strongholds, Vortigern summoned his wise men and magicians to explain why construction attempts kept failing. They were unable to find a solution, so Merlin Emrys was brought to Vortigern’s court to provide counsel, even though Merlin was only a youth at the time.
Merlin Interprets the Dragons
Merlin explained that the earth’s foundation contained two dragons or serpents fighting, causing the ground to be unsteady. He told Vortigern to excavate the site, where two dragons – one red and one white – emerged and began battling furiously. As the red dragon drove out the white dragon, Merlin prophesied that it symbolised the British defeating the Saxons.
Vortigern’s Death and Arthur’s Rise
Merlin also supposedly predicted the manner of Vortigern’s death. Later sources say Ambrosius Aurelianus burned Vortigern’s tower and the king perished in the flames. Merlin then prophesied the rise of Ambrosius’s brother King Arthur, who would lead the Britons to victory over the Saxons. These prophetic elements helped secure Merlin’s reputation as a mystical seer.
Historical Role and Legacy
Fact or Fiction?
Scholars debate how much of Vortigern and Merlin’s stories are rooted in reality versus fiction. Some believe Vortigern and Merlin originated from actual 5th century warlords and prophets. However, the legendary accounts distort the truth or ascribe fictional deeds to them. The figures served as masks onto which later writers projected stories and symbolism.
Power-Hungry Ruler
If Vortigern was real, he was likely a ruler who seized control in unstable times and made misguided alliances with Saxon enemies. His ineffective leadership may have ushered in the Anglo-Saxon hegemony. While the particulars are exaggerated, his legend reflects Britain’s political turmoil.
Mystical Prophet
Merlin represents the mystical imagination inspired by druids and wizardry. As a wise emissary summoned to interpret signs and prophesy, his legend became a template for laterArthurian tales of mystical advisers to kings. The stories of dragons and visions capture creative spirit during dark and uncertain times.
End of Celtic Britain
As largely symbolic figures, Vortigern and Merlin represent the transition from Roman Britain to Anglo-Saxon dominance. Their myths dramatise the Celtic Britons’ tragic defeat but also hopes for redemption one day. The legends heavily influenced medieval literature and shaped perceptions of this disruptive era.
Key Events and Figures
The legends of Vortigern and Merlin encompass some of the most dramatic events said to have occurred in 5th century Britain. A ruler relying on Saxon mercenaries, mysterious prophetic visions interpreted by a young wizard, and battles foretelling Britain’s fate all make for captivating tales. The characters embody the chaos after Roman rule and the beginnings of Anglo-Saxon takeover.
Mythic Imagination of Transition Era
While historical accuracy is dubious, the legends reveal much about Britain’s self-perception during this poorly documented transitional period. Myths of wise prophets, magical omens, and redemptive future kings captured the British imagination. The stories also represent very real turmoil of adjusting to life after Rome while facing Anglo-Saxon incursion.
Influences on Arthurian Legend
The Vortigern and Merlin legends significantly shaped later Welsh and English Arthurian lore. Themes of a prophesied saviour king, advisers interpreting omens, and Saxon versus Briton conflict reappear in Arthurian texts. Scenes of Ambrosius and Arthur’s ascendancy draw inspiration from Merlin’s prophecies about Vortigern’s downfall. These early mythic prototypes left an enduring imprint.
Related Articles
Related Articles
King Vortigern: The British Ruler Who Lost England
King Vortigern was a British ruler in 5th century England during time of Anglo-Saxon invasions
Historical Origins of the Welsh Dragon
The origins of the red dragon as a Welsh emblem can be traced back to myths and legends from the 6th century AD involving wizard Merlin and the struggle against the Saxons.
