| Invaders 1 - Henghest, Horsa and Æsc - conquest of Kent |
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Henghest, his brother Horsa and his son Æsc were invited into Kent from Jutland by King Vortigern as mercenaries to try to help him recover his Kingdom of Kent, after the Romans left in about 410AD. He probably gave Henghest and Horsa the old Julius Caesar Legion Fort at Ebbsfleet where they had landed.
Anglo Saxon Chronicles - 449AD(1) - Ypwinesfleot (Henghest and Horsa)
This request for mercenaries appears to have been caused by Marcian and Valentinian tying to take control in Brittannia in 449AD (Anglo Saxon Chronicles) and whose troops had pushed Vortigern back through Kent past Rochester and Canterbury (the two tribal centres) and probably as far as the old Roman fort of Richborough. Henghest and Horsa then earn their payment by defeating the Welsh(Saxon name for non Saxons) and probably taking back Canterbury.
Anglo Saxon Chronicles - 449AD(2) - Welsh Flee (Henghest and Horsa)
Henghest and Horsa now turn on Vortigern and take over Canterbury, Vortigern flees to the old Roman town of Rochester where he is defeated and is forced further out of Kent, towards London, Horsa is killed.
Anglo Saxon Chronicles - 455AD - Aeglesthrep (Henghest and Horsa)
Henghest and Æsc continue their march towards London and probably finally defeat Vortigern and the Londoners at Crayford.
Anglo Saxon Chronicles - 457AD - Crecganford (Henghest and Æsc)
Marcian and Valentinian appear to have been able to retain control until 456AD, and may have managed to build a force from a number of tribes to stop Henghest and Æsc, and may have been two of the twelve leaders killed at Wippedesfleote, as 465AD is when they reigned to.
Anglo Saxon Chronicles - 465AD - Wippedesfleote (Henghest and Æsc)
Finally Henghest and Æsc defeat the Welsh very near to or in London and take vast amounts of treasure.
Anglo Saxon Chronicles - 473AD - Welsh Flee again (Henghest and Æsc)
The only other mentions of Henghest, Horsa or Æsc in the Anglo Saxon Chronicles is:
488AD This year Æsc succeeded to the kingdom; and was king of the men of Kent twenty-four winters. (Henghest presumably dies in 488AD)
512AD As Æsc lives another 24 winters after 488AD he would die about 512AD
| Map showing the Battles of Henghest, Horsa and Æsc |
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Map generated using Google My Maps 2024 - showing the Landscape, modern Counties and sea in 455AD
Please Note: this map is my interpretation of the Anglo Saxon Chronicles entries relating to Henghest, Horsa and Aesc and their take over of Kent, the purple line shows the modern Kent boundary.
The logic for the coastal changes and the Forest of Andredsweald can be viewed on the following pages:
Roman Roads in Britain
Anglo Saxon Chronicles - 892AD - The Great Oak Forest of Andredsweald
Landscape - Was the high tide level in Saxon times at Pevensey at about 4.5 metres ?
Landscape - Was the high tide level in Saxon times in the Wash 4 to 5 metres higher ?
Landscape - The History of the Romney Marsh in maps
Roman Locations that have not been identified and roads that just terminate
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Conclusion |
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The above timeline is valid according to the Anglo Saxon Chronicles, however the description of the events is my interpretation of the Chronicles, please read the individual links to see if you agree with this.
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![Norman Knight](javascript:launch_resize("/images/1066AD/norman_knight_lft.png", 900, 1000);)
