Toni Sihvonen (order #92780) 62.142.248.1

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Toni Sihvonen (order #92780) 6
Phases 2-4 After Badon
519-554
Kent, Est Saexe, West Saexe, Suth Saexe, and Anglia suffer
months of plundering and colonization by the victorious
Britons. Arthur awards these territories to landless knights
- often de Canis men or British nobles displaced by the
Saxons -who rule them as dukes or earls (a Saxon title,
from ealdorman) sworn to Arthur. In Phases 2-3, these
new lords introduce feudalism, chivalry, and Christianity,
presenting Arthurian values as either a carrot (under the
forgiving Kynniarc of Kent) or a stick (under the vengeful
Hervis of Anglia) to their Saxon subjects. The disaster at
Badon leaves many Saxon widows and orphans. The
colonist knights marry these widows, bringing their lands
and families under British control: the orphans are fostered
by families in Logres or by the Church. Starting
around 525, they enter adulthood as Saxon knights.
Although Christianity and medieval ways take root in the
happier Saxon kingdoms, Saxon belligerence and paganism
bubble under the surface. Saxon bandits plague
unconquered forests like Quinqeroi, home of the evil Sir
Turquine. Small raids or conspiracies are led by goderes or
wiccas in the name of the war gods. Saxon widows like
Cwene Gunnhild of Lindissi and Cwene Ethfrida of
Nohaut become haegtesses: magicians inspired by the
Hate passion: others join Freija’s Women, the female
fighting order described in Pendragon page 143. Major
Saxon rebellions that require the Round Table’s attention
do not occur in these phases except in Anglia, which
rebels in 520, and again in 529-31, led by the haegtess
Lady Camille.
The northern Saxon territories of Lindissi, Deira, and
Nohaut are far from King Arthur’s supervision. Instead,
they submit to - or hide from, or raid - the King of a
Hundred Knights: a formidable foe even to Arthur, his
nominal liege. The northern Saxons still raid up and
down the Cumbrian coast. They even form an independent
kingdom, Bernicia, in 547.
519: King Barant of Malahaut reclaims Eburacum and
begins reconquering the lands to the east.
520: Angles rebel against Duke Hervis, who defeats them
at the Battle of Fort Guinnon and slaughters their sons. In
Jutland, Beowulf slays the monster Grendel for the
Danish King Hrothgar.
525: At Eburacum, King Barant forces Cyning Wilgils to
swear fealty.
Other developments: During these phases Arthur restores
roads, towns, currency, the Church. and other Roman
amenities.
Phase 5: Pendragon Downfall, Saxon
Reconquest
555-577
The Age of Arthur is destroyed by the wars of Lancelot
and Mordred, the bloody Grail Quest, and many lesser
betrayals and magics. The Saxon kingdoms rebel, and
new invasions begin that overrun everything but Cambria
and the northwest. By 601, when Pope Gregory’s deputy
Augustine arrives at Canterbury to convert the Saxons,
not a single church nor a single castle remains from the
days of King Arthur.
554 The Grail Quest begins. Many people rebel and raid
while the Round Table knights are busy. Cynric leads an
armada of Saxons to Britain and defeats Britons at Old
Sarum.
556: Cynric and Ceawlin defeat Britons at Beranburh
(Barbury Castle).
560: Ceawlin becomes cyning of Wessex. Aelle of Deira
founds Northumbria.
563: Civil war between Arthur and Lancelot. Saxons
invite their kin from the continent to join raids.
564 Mordred rebels against Arthur. He makes pacts with
Saxon leaders, promising lands and kingdoms.
565: Arthur defeats Mordred and the Saxons in Kent.
Then Arthur defeats Mordred at Battle of Baram Down,
and again at Camlann, where both Mordred and Arthur
die, Aethelberht succeeds to the now-independent cyningdom
of Kent.
568: Ceawlin of Wessex defeats Aethelberht of Kent and
declares himself Bretwalda. Battle of Wibbandum.
570: Ceawlin and his brother Cutha conquer the
Midlands and the Thames valley.
571: Cutha defeats Britons at the Battle of Bedcanford.
He dies later in the year.
573: Saxons defeat Britons at the Battle of Catterick. The
northeast falls under Saxon domination.
577: Battle of Deorham. Saxons conquer Gloucester,
Cirencester, and Bath. End of the Pendragon era.