From Ambrosius Aurelianus to Arthur : the creation of a national hero in Historia Brittonum (original) (raw)

2013, Universidade de Lisboa, Centro de Estudos Anglísticos eBooks

The 5 th century witnessed the occupation of vast territories within Europe by barbarian invaders who led to the collapse of the Roman Empire and to the emergence of a new period in western civilization known as the Middle Ages. In order to attend to the defense of Rome from the siege of the Goths, the Romans abandoned Britain in 410. As a result, it was soon occupied by the Anglo-Saxons, who first set foot on the island in 449, apparently invited by the Celtic king, Vortigern. Yet, this invitation was not regarded with sympathy by the British and, as an ever-growing number of Saxons began to reach the British shores, inlanders tried hard to maintain the unwelcome guests far from their country. Conflicts between the Celtic British and the English Saxons lasted for an extended period of time, and went on even after the occupation of what is now England by the Saxons. These reorganized the territory into a heptarquy of seven kingdoms which would last until the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Celts who did not accept the new Germanic government fled to areas such as Brittany or Little Britain in France, or were pushed away to Wales, Scotland and Cornwall. However, in spite of their final defeat, the Celts cherished a special moment of national pride, during which they were the victors and when everything seemed to herald their strength and superiority. We are referring to the Battle of Mount Badon, also known as the Battle of Badon Hill, allegedly fought between 482 and 516. This conflict culminated with the Celts' astounding triumph over the invaders, who suffered a crushing defeat and great humiliation. Badon was, therefore, viewed as a huge British success which halted the Anglo-Saxons for some time, thus fostering patriotic feelings. This battle is first mentioned by Gildas, a British cleric, who, in the 6 th century, wrote De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae (On the Conquest and Ruin of Britain). In this work, he blames his compatriots for the countless battles, conflicts and disasters that overcame the British, claiming that their sins and corrupt behaviour, similar to those of the Children of Israel, had been the cause of the Germanic incursions and of the country's ruin. The invasion of the Saxons is, therefore, understood as a punishment sent from God to the British. These were doomed not to survive for long as a result of their cowardice and weak personality, which made them incapable of forming an organized army to fight back. By stating this idea, Gildas is, in fact, undermining British social and political structure.