Hengist and Horsa
Hengist and Horsa were a pair of mercenaries brothers, rumored to be direct descendants of Woden, the Anglo-Saxon version of the Scandinavian Odin.[1] Their existence is contested by scholars.[2]
According to legend, the pair was recruited as mercenaries by Vortigern, ruler of Britannia, to protect his people from invaders. In exchange, he paid them monthly. The brothers did as Vortigern requested, defeating his enemies, but after the peace was won and more and more Germanic tribes came to live in Britannia, the brothers soon asked Vortigern to increase the payments. They asked for more and more, and eventually, Vortigern refused. In response, the Germanic tribes waged war against all the British tribes, beginning the era of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain.[1]
Appearances
- Discovery Tour: Viking Age (mentioned only)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Discovery Tour: Viking Age – Learnings: The Legendary Brothers
- ↑
Hengist and Horsa on Wikipedia