230
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
New page: Hengist, and his brother Horsa (both names mean "horse" in Anglo-Saxon, though Hengist specifically means "stallion"), were the leaders of the first important wave of Anglo-Saxon settl...
Hengist, and his brother Horsa (both names mean "horse" in [[Anglo-Saxon]], though Hengist specifically means "stallion"), were the leaders of the first important wave of Anglo-Saxon settlers in Britain, and in that sense were the founders of the English nation. Ironically, Hengist himself was not an Anglo-Saxon, but according to [[Beowulf]] was actually half [[Danish]] and half [[Frisian]]. In the confused conditions of the 5th century, he led a band of Frisians, [[Jutes]], and others, all later described as Saxons. [[Vortigern]], ruler of Britain, invited Hengist and his army over to Britain to fight as mercenaries, in 449 AD, and granted him the isle of [[Thanet]] in [[Kent]]. Vortigern also married Hengist's daughter [[Rowena]]. Vortigern later proved to be unable to pay Hengist and his troops, who rebelled against him and took land for themselves. Hengist is the founder of the kingdom of Kent, the very first kingdom of the [[Heptarchy]]. His actions paved the way for further Anglo-Saxon settlement in Britain.