The History of the Kings of Britain

The Saxons and Mordred’s two sons attempt to overthrow Constantine but fail. Constantine pursues them, killing one at a church altar “where he was taking refuge” and the second at the altar of a monastery (224). Constantine dies four years later, “struck down by the vengeance of God,” and is buried at Stonehenge beside Utherpendragon (224). His nephew Aurelius Conanus succeeds him. Though brave, he delights in civil war and dies “in the third year of his reign” (224). The Saxons rise against Vortiporius, Constantine’s successor, but he defeats them.

Malgo reigns next, followed by Keredic, “a fomentor of civil discord” (225). As Britain is devastated by civil war, the Saxons send for Gormund, the King of the Africans who had conquered Ireland. The Saxons and Gormund form a treaty and attack Keredic. Gormund makes a treaty with Isembard, the King of the Franks’ nephew, promising Isembard that he will help him “wrest the kingdom of Gaul from his uncle” as long as he renounces his Christian faith. Gormund chases Keredic into Wales and ravages the people, landscape, and churches. Geoffrey breaks off the narrative to address the “foolish people” who are only happy “when [they] are fighting one another” (226). Quoting the Gospel, Geoffrey laments that their kingdom was divided and thus fell to “impious heathens,” decried by future generations (226).

After destroying the island, Gormund hands the region called Loegria to the Saxons. Surviving Britons flee to Cornwall and Wales, continuing to resist their enemies. Two Archbishops and their priests flee with their relics to Wales, which Geoffrey says he will describe “elsewhere when I come to translate their Book of Exile” (227). The Britons lose their sovereignty, make “no attempt to recover their former greatness,” and continue to succumb to civil unrest (227). The Saxons divide the island into three kingships and alternately fight amongst themselves and the Britons.

Meanwhile, Pope Gregory sends Augustine to Britain “to preach the word of God to the Angles” who, being “blinded by their pagan superstition,” have extinguished Christianity from their part of the island (227). Christianity continues to flourish “in the part belonging to the Britons” (227). Augustine approaches Dinoot, abbot of a monastery in a city called Bangor, to help him preach the gospel to the Angles, but Dinoot refuses on the grounds that the Saxons are the very enemies “depriving [the Britons] of their own fatherland” (228).

Offended by Abbot Dinoot’s refusal, “Saxon tyrant” Ethelbert appeals to Ethelfrid, King of the Northumbrians, along with other Saxon kings (228). They assemble an army to destroy Bangor and the “churchmen who had scorned Augustine” (228). British leaders gather to oppose him. Ethelfrid is wounded and forced to flee, but the Britons also sustain losses. The Britons make Cadvan their King and plan to pursue Ethelfrid across the Humber. Ethelfrid gathers the Saxon kings to meet Cadvan’s forces. At the last moment, they make a treaty, and Ethelfrid and Cadvan split the British lands between them.

Meanwhile, Ethelfrid banishes his wife in favor of another woman. His first wife appeals for help from Cadvan, but he is unable to persuade Ethelfrid to take her back. She remains in Cadvan’s household, where she gives birth to Ethelfrid’s son, Edwin. At around the same time, Cadvan’s wife gives birth to their son, Cadwallo. The boys grow up together as friends. As adults, Edwin requests a crown of his own from Cadwallo. Cadwallo’s nephew Brian weeps at the thought of tricky Saxon barbarians—“who have taken every opportunity of betraying our country” and who betrayed Vortigern, Aurelius Ambrosius, Arthur, and, most recently, Keredic—being granted a crown (230). Brian’s speech convinces Cadwallo, and he informs Edwin that his counselors have rejected the request for a crown. Furious, Edwin intends to be crowned despite Cadwallo’s rejection. In turn, Cadwallo promises to “cut [Edwin’s] head off underneath the crown” (231). War breaks out between their two sides, which Edwin wins.

At this time, a magician from Spain called Pellitus provides Edwin forewarnings that help him stay one step ahead of Cadwallo. Cadwallo visits Salomon, King of the Armorican Britons, and appeals to him for guidance and help in the name of their shared lineage. Cadwallo, in the meantime, sends Brian to kill Pellitus. After achieving his aim, Brian proceeds to Exeter. He garrisons the city and warns the leaders of the Britons to defend their castles and cities and await Cadwallo. Peanda, a Saxon king, hears the news and brings an army to besiege Exeter. In the interim, Cadwallo lands with a force provided by Salomon, captures Peanda, and annihilates his army. Peanda aligns with Cadwallo, promising to help him attack the Saxons.

Edwin, Cadwallo, and their armies engage in battle at Hedfield. Edwin is killed. Cadwallo marches through the Angles’ provinces and wreaks “great havoc on the Saxons,” killing men, women, and children intent to “wipe out the entire race of Angles” (237). He sends Peanda to battle Oswald, king of Northumbria. Oswald is killed, and his successor, brother Oswi, gifts treasure to Cadwallo to gain peace. Oswi’s son Alfrid and nephew Oidwald “revolt against him” and appeal to Peanda for help (238). Peanda does not want to break the peace Cadwallo established without his permission, so he convinces Cadwallo that Oswi has broken the peace treaty. One of Cadwallo’s advisers, Margadud, reminds him that he once intended to exterminate the Angles from Britain because of their ceaseless treachery. Margadud advises Cadwallo to encourage civil war among the Angles so that they destroy themselves. Convinced, Cadwallo grants Peanda permission to attack Oswi. In the battle, Peanda is killed, and Oswi wins. Cadwallo orders peace be made with Oswi.

After Cadwallo’s death, his son Cadwallader succeeds him. He peacefully rules for 12 years, but after he becomes ill, the Britons descend into civil war. Famine and plague follow, killing “such a vast number of the population that the living could not bury them” (241). The few bands of survivors emigrate “to countries across the sea” (241). Cadwallader sails to Brittany, bemoaning the sin and folly of his people that incurred God’s wrath. Britain remains largely deserted for 11 years. Eventually, the Saxons in the region who have survived continue “their age-old custom” of sending messages to Germany, revealing that Britain has been abandoned by its native population. This “odious race” gathers “a vast horde of its men and women” and sends them to Britain, where they occupy lands from Albany to Cornwall. The few surviving Britons live in Wales, and “the power of the Britons” comes “to an end in the islands,” with the Angles now reigning (242).

Cadwallader sets in motions plans to return to Britain but is stopped by “an Angelic Voice” that speaks to him “in a peal of thunder” and orders him to stop (242). God does not want the Britons to rule Britain “until the moment should come which Merlin had prophesied to Arthur” (242). Cadwallader is ordered to visit Pope Sergius in Rome and do penance. The British people will be awarded for their faithfulness by ruling the island again in the future. Cadwallader journeys to Rome, and Pope Sergius confirms him. However, he dies of a sudden illness in 689. Cadwallader’s son Yvor and nephew Yni attack the island for 79 years but do not succeed in taking it over. Plague, famine, and the tendency for civil discord prevent the people from keeping “their foes at bay” (243). The Saxons, however, behave “more wisely,” keeping peace among themselves, cultivating fields, and rebuilding cities and castles (243). In this way, they are able to discard “the dominion of the Britons” and successfully rule (243).