Introduction The Dark Ages is an era that is shrouded in mystery, especially so in the period from the Roman
withdrawal in around 410 to the end of the 6th century which is where these rules focus. This was
the period in which the British inhabitants were obliged to fend for themselves and to establish
their own means of protection. The collapse of Roman authority at the beginning if the 5th century
left a power vacuum on an epic scale at a time when the Britons were under immense pressure
from Germanic raiders on their south and east coasts, Irish, Picts and Scotti on the west coast and
in the north. At times around 400AD it seems that the light of civilisation was entirely snuffed out
by constant warfare, yet in truth much that was part of Roman civilisation remained with the
Britons are the Christian protectors of that legacy.
The arrival of a Saxon mercenary contingent in the first half of the 5th century, apparently at the
request of Vortigern (whose name translates to Over‐lord or High‐King, so may well be title rather
than his actual name) followed a pattern well‐established by Rome; if you can’t beat them, employ
them. And it seems that Hengist and his followers arrived to fight for the British as foederati in
much the same way that Germanic troops were being used right across the western Empire.
Unfortunately for the Britons Hengist liked it so much he decided to buy the company, and, the
story goes, when Vortigern attempted to cancel their contract and send them home they were
having none of it. Kent (Caint), but now one of the myriad of small localised Kingdoms that had
sprung up in order to provide protection and some kind of economic and social structure for the
Britons, was ravaged “from sea to see” (not quite so impressive when one considered the
distances involved in doing that in some parts of Kent!) and a Saxon Kingdom established some
time around 453. Over the next 350 years the Anglo‐Saxons, Angles, Jutes and Saxons, Germanic
tribes with identical DNA make‐up but some minor cultural differences, fought the British,
conquering Kingdom after Kingdom until the point in the 9th century where Offa’s Dyke delineated
the line between Anglo‐Saxon England and British Wales which still, for the most part stands
today.
Ginger