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Vortigern

The Evidence from Gildas

Vortigern described as a Proud Tyrant or

Arrogant Usurper who was unlucky

The first written record of Vortigern is found in the writings of the British monk Gildas, who wrote his De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae “The Overthrow and Conquest of Britain” circa 540 CE. This about 100 hundred years after Vortigern’s supposed reign.

De Excidio is a religious tract and not a definitive historical chronicle. We may therefore accept the more outstanding features of the DEB: the reception of the Saxons; the subsequent conflict between them and the Britons; the resistance to the Saxons by a certain Ambrosius Aurelianus; and finally the defeat of the Saxons at the Siege of Badonicus Mons in the day of his birth (or so he seems to say).

In the work there is an account of a meeting of the Proud Tyrant /Arrogant Usurper Superbus Tyrannus and all the councillors:

At this meeting, the council invited the Saxons in three keels from Germany, as a counter to the threat from the Picts in the north. This is followed after some time by a conflict over the annona (payment in kind), after which the Saxon federates devastate the country.

Vortigern, who may have been named by Gildas, is not portrayed by Gildas as a sole ruler, or a High King. He rules together with a Council, which Gildas blames equally for the disastrous policy concerning the invitation of the Saxons.

Vortigern may have presided over a war council of chieftains rather than have been a king with total authority. In all, Gildas’ view of the Superbus Tyrannus is almost positive; though he is judged careless and lacking foresight, he is called infaustus (unlucky), which is very mild considering Gildas’ views on the Saxons and the hindsight he had on the disaster that resulted from the Tyrannus’ policies.

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