Lessons and Activities

  The Camelot Project The Camelot Project  Historical Documents from the 6 th and 9 th centuries  De Excidio Britanniae De Excidio Britanniae  Written by a 6 th century monk named Gildas  From: The History of the Britons (Historia Brittonum) From: The History of the Britons (Historia Brittonum)  Written by Nennius a 9 th century historian The Earliest Versions

  Tells the history of Britain as Gildas and Nennius know it. Chapter 31 and 36: Vortigern is king of Britain and he is under threat from invaders (Vikings) and unrest in his own landsHengist (a Saxon) offers to help by providing men to fight if Vortigern gives them supplies. The Britons can’t keep up the supplies as Hengist brings more and more men to Britain. Chapter 37: Hengist continues to bring men to “help fight” and also brings his daughter. Vortigern falls in lust and they get him drunk. In exchange for H’s daughter V gives away the province of Kent (currently in the possession of one of his other kings) Chapters

 Chapter 38: Now H has control over Vortigern but continues to play the friend. He brings more men and helps in the fight and take over Kent completely. Chapter 39: Vortigern runs and marries his daughter and has a son. When St. Germanus comes to confront him over his bad behavior they trade insults. Chapter 40: Vortigern runs again this time away from Germanus. He is told by his avisors to build a citadel. He must bless the ground with the blood of a boys born of no father. Chapter 41: they find a boy matching this requirement.

 Chapter 42: The boy begins asking questions and tells of a lake below the site of the fortress. He tells a story of two serpents as symbols for V and H’s conflict. He then admits his father was a Roman consul. The king gives him the city site and leaves. Chapter 43: and the fighting continues with V’s son Vortimer Chapter 44: Vortimer fights four more times before he dies. He tells his men to bury him on the spot where the Saxons first landed. If they do this, he says they will win the war, but they don’t follow his orders.

 Chapter 45: Few people will fight Hengist because of his daughter’s marriage to Vortigern. They are being conquered because of their own sins and after Vortimer dies, Hengist becomes more powerful. H sends V an offer of peace (it’s a trap). Chapter 46: Hengist has a party to celebrate their treaty, but it is a trap. 300 of his men kill 300 of Vortigern’s, but leave him alive. V purchases his freedom by giving away three more provinces. Chapter 47: Germanus tries to get V to behave and chases him to another fortress. There they win a battle against the Saxons. G pray for three days and nights. On the third night the castle burns and all in it die. V may have escaped.

 Chapter 48: discusses the possible fates of Vortigern after the fire. The chapter also talks about his sons and their various fates. Chapter 49: a listing of Vortigern’a geneology. Chapter 56: Arthur shows up and defeats the Saxons 12 times the last battle at Badon Hill where he single-handedly kills 960 men. Chapter 73: Describes Arthur’s dog and the monument built to him. It also describes Arthur’s son Amr’s tomb where at any point the length of the tomb varies (suggestion of magic)

  What does Arthur seem to stand for (symbolism) in these narratives? Provide textual evidence.  What can we infer about the societies in which these historians (Gildas and Nennius) lived from the ways they present Arthur and his actions? The Big Questions

  Edsitement Lesson Plans Edsitement Lesson Plans Resources