Articles about the Vortigern

Vortigern Studies has the internet's most comprehensive treatment of Britain's history from the end of the Roman era to Arthurian times. Edited by Robert M. Vermaat, this unique website focuses primarily on the person of Vortigern and the enigmatic earthwork called Wansdyke. It features narrative histories, original source documents and important texts, extensive bibliographies, reading lists, informative articles by guest writers, maps, polls and more.

Vortigern Studies Index

Who was Vortigern?

This section explores Vortigern himself. We look at the traditional picture, the evolution of his name, his life and the manner of his death. We look at his career, his possible background and their influence on later legends that grew around him.

This picture, from a 15th-century English manuscript, shows a strangely hoofed Vortigern. The whole painting features the prophetic boy Merlin, revealing to Vortigern the fighting Red and White Dragons beneath Vortigern's Collapsing Castle. Lambeth Palace Library MS6, folio 43v.

Current Contents:

Who was Vortigern-an Introduction: sources and legend, the shortened way.
Who was Vortigern: the legend
Vortigern's name: the name examined: evolution, the sources, a title or a name?
Vortigern and Vitalinus: Were they the same person?
One Vortigern or two? Possible duplications of Vortigern and Vortimer.
Vortigern and the Incest-slur
Was Vortigern an Irishman, a German or even a Pict?
Vortigern; King, Vicarius or Bishop?
The Deaths of Vortigern; where was he really killed and how?
Dinas Emrys; Vortigern & Ambrosius; was Dinas Emrys really given to Ambrosius - the origins of the legend.