The History of the Britons III

In the third and final part of Nennius’ history, we learn how the Saxons became firmly incorporated into Britain after treacherously slaying all the British nobles at a peace conference. St Germanus continues his haranguing of Vortigern for his crimes, camping outside wherever the king was staying and praying and fasting for his doom. Eventually his prayers are answered and fire rains down from the sky onto Vortigern’s castle destroying all within it. Some say he was so evil that the earth swallowed him up and others say he escaped, as no remains were ever found.

We then hear about Arthur and the battles which he fought under the sign of the holy virgin and how in one skirmish nine hundred and forty men fell by his hand alone. Saint Patrick also lived at this time and we get the history of Patrick and how he became the Apostle to Ireland, before Nennius’ lesson finishes with the genealogies of the current kings of Bernicia, Kent, Mercia, East Anglia and Deira.



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