452 AD
An Alternate Night of the Long Knives
No, not that one! This is the one that has gone down in infamy in British (NOT English) folklore. I wondered what would happen if Vortigern was not a complete idiot (just one most of the time) and showed a touch of the Vitali (sorry Cymraeg) Also apologies to H.E.Marshall whose account of this event I have modified slightly.
But Hengist was as cunning as ever. He sent a message to Vortigern saying that he did not know that Vortimer was dead. “I came to fight for you, to help you to regain your throne,” he said. “But now that you are King again there is no need to fight. Let us be friends. Let us all, Britons and Saxons, meet together at a great feast. Let us forget our quarrels and make peace. Then I will go home again with my soldiers.”
Vortigern told the British nobles that Hengist wanted to make friends, but he and his closest nobles made plans. They replied that the Britons really did not wish to fight any more, so agreed to meet Hengist in a friendly way near the Great Henge, and feast together.
A day was fixed. It was in May. The grass was green and the sky blue, and the birds sang on this bright spring day. From all sides came the British nobles in their gayest holiday clothes, apparently wearing no armour and carrying no weapons.
The Saxons, too, came gaudily clad and seemingly unarmed.
There was laughter, and talk and friendly greeting, and the feast began. After an hour, Vortigern stood up and toasted Hengist “I salute you, may there be everlasting peace between our peoples.” That was the prearranged signal .Suddenly, every British noble drew his dagger, which he had hidden in his stocking, and stabbed the Saxon next to him. The Saxons fought and struggled bravely, but they were taken by surprise even though they had also planned such a treachery.
Only two of all the Saxons were saved. One was Hengist, the king, because Vortigern had ordered his soldiers not to kill him; the other was Rowena his daughter, wife to Vortigern. Hengist was badly wounded and looked at Vortigern aghast “It was a peace meeting!” Vortigern leaned over him and whispered “You planned similarly. If it had been with Ambrosius this meeting then we would have been unarmed. However you have already proved yourself oathbreaker. There can only be one peace between your folk and mine that of death.” With that Vortigern stabbed Hengist through the heart.
What happens next?
No, not that one! This is the one that has gone down in infamy in British (NOT English) folklore. I wondered what would happen if Vortigern was not a complete idiot (just one most of the time) and showed a touch of the Vitali (sorry Cymraeg) Also apologies to H.E.Marshall whose account of this event I have modified slightly.
But Hengist was as cunning as ever. He sent a message to Vortigern saying that he did not know that Vortimer was dead. “I came to fight for you, to help you to regain your throne,” he said. “But now that you are King again there is no need to fight. Let us be friends. Let us all, Britons and Saxons, meet together at a great feast. Let us forget our quarrels and make peace. Then I will go home again with my soldiers.”
Vortigern told the British nobles that Hengist wanted to make friends, but he and his closest nobles made plans. They replied that the Britons really did not wish to fight any more, so agreed to meet Hengist in a friendly way near the Great Henge, and feast together.
A day was fixed. It was in May. The grass was green and the sky blue, and the birds sang on this bright spring day. From all sides came the British nobles in their gayest holiday clothes, apparently wearing no armour and carrying no weapons.
The Saxons, too, came gaudily clad and seemingly unarmed.
There was laughter, and talk and friendly greeting, and the feast began. After an hour, Vortigern stood up and toasted Hengist “I salute you, may there be everlasting peace between our peoples.” That was the prearranged signal .Suddenly, every British noble drew his dagger, which he had hidden in his stocking, and stabbed the Saxon next to him. The Saxons fought and struggled bravely, but they were taken by surprise even though they had also planned such a treachery.
Only two of all the Saxons were saved. One was Hengist, the king, because Vortigern had ordered his soldiers not to kill him; the other was Rowena his daughter, wife to Vortigern. Hengist was badly wounded and looked at Vortigern aghast “It was a peace meeting!” Vortigern leaned over him and whispered “You planned similarly. If it had been with Ambrosius this meeting then we would have been unarmed. However you have already proved yourself oathbreaker. There can only be one peace between your folk and mine that of death.” With that Vortigern stabbed Hengist through the heart.
What happens next?
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