#ingaevones

[historyfiles]

Tacitus recorded the inhabitants of Germania, noting that they were comprised of three groups or supertribes, called the Ingaevones, Herminones, and Istvaeones.

[srda-sabre]

The Wudugast

For centuries, roaming among the leaves, my ghostly voice, haunting and whistling, through the trees. Rarely seen, but always my presence felt, a lonely soul, trapped between life and death, condemned to dwell.

Here, in these woods, my spirit shall stay. Until time will take this forest away.

A man of war, wearied and battle-stained, then came my fate, by an arrow felled but here remained. A sorry heart, my thoughts my only friend, wandering on, and I fear my pain shall never end.

Some say they’ve seen me, floating from tree to tree, hooded and clad in green, shrouded in mystery. Some say they’ve heard me, singing my mournful song, crying for anyone, to set my spirit free.

Here, in these woods, my spirit shall stay. Until time shall take this forest away.

Wudugast, (Old English/Ingaevonic, meaning “Wood-Ghost”), are the spirits of slain Ingaevonic warriors, whose bodies have not been laid to rest according to Ingaevonic (Anglo-Saxon) Pagan tradition. These spirits haunt the forests near where they were slain. The reason behind their choice to dwell in forests is unclear, but likely has something to do with the Germanic people being closely associated with and drawn to the forests of Germania.

Appearance-wise, Wudugast all appear similar. Green and white hose and tunics, covered by a chainmaille hauberk, leather gloves and boots, green hooded cloaks cover their backs and heads. Either “Sutton Hoo” helmets with maille hoods underneath or almost-spagenhelm-like helmets with maille face-protection are seen in place of a human face, though human eyes can be seen through the helmets’ eyeholes. Wudugast are seen armed with bows, seaxes, swords, axes, spears, shields or any combination of said weapons.

It was long thought that the Wudugast were Migration-Era warriors, and were a phenomena exlusive to England, however, sightings of Wudugast in the forests of North America show that wherever Ingaevones may be found, regardless of century, the Wudugast can also be found. The Wudugast have been seen to watch over and guide Ingaevones who enter their forests and stalk those who are not Ingaevonic but the Wudugast have never been seen to harm anyone or anything, almost as if they are merely watching. It seems the Wudugast are timeless and seek only to be set free, so the may feast in Walheall. Perhaps one day they shall be laid to rest, but the day the last Wudugast disappear will be a sad one indeed.

[srda-sabre]

The Ingaevonic Invasion

The 5th Century AD. Britannia. The Romano-Britons, under command of Vortigern, are desperate. The Roman Legions have abandoned Britannia. The Romano-Britons are under threat from several fronts. The Scots, Picts & Gaels to their North are seeking to dominate them and the sea offers no respite, for a fierce, brutal people are raiding and sacking their coastal settlements. The Saxons. The Romano-Britons, in a desperate bid to survive, call for a meeting with the Saxon Generals, Hengist and his brother Horsa. The meeting takes place over several days and ends with the following terms: - The Saxons are to cease raiding Romano-Briton settlements. - The Saxons are to engage in war with the Scots, Picts & Gaels. - The Romano-Britons shall bare no grudge against the Saxons for past transgressions. - The Romano-Britons shall gift the Isle of Thanet to the Saxons as a base for their armies. The Saxon Generals agree to these terms and, for a few years, stick to them. However, as more and more Ingaevonic Warriors (from the Ingaevonic Tribes (Angles, Saxons, Jutes & Frisians) (Who would later be known as Anglo-Saxon and, later still, as the English)) arrive on Thanet, in search of the riches they have heard they can acquire by slaughtering the Northern Celts of Britannia, Hengist & Horsa ask the Romano-Britons for concession after concession. Vortigern, knowing that he and his people NEED the Saxons' protection, has no choice but to give them what they ask for. These concessions culminate with Ingaevonic Troops being stationed on the mainland, in what is known today as the region of Kent (named by the Jutes who, at the time these concessions were made, constituted the majority of the Ingaevonic army as well as the majority of Hengist & Horsa's advisors and subordinate commanders). This was met with loathing and hatred by the Romano-Britons in the region, who gradually left as more and more Ingaevones arrived. Eventually, Vortigern and his advisors decided that the Ingaevonic settlers had outstayed their welcome and (after hiring Frankish mercenaries to bolster his own forces) ordered a full-scale onslaught against the Ingaevones. This onslaught cost the lives of many Ingaevones. Warriors and civilians alike. The most notable casualty in this war however, was Horsa, Hengist's Brother. After Horsa was slain, (dying a valiant death on the battlefield, as befitting an Ingaevonic warrior), Hengist and his forces retreated across the sea, much to the Romano-Britons' happiness. However, this happiness would not last long, as Vortigern soon after heard the prophecy of the White Dragon (which I shall make another post about, possibly later today). Hengist, his surviving commanders and his daughter Rowina, sought counsel with the Saxon kings. Upon hearing Hengist's tale, the Saxons marched for war, uniting under the banner of the White Dragon (just as the prophecy predicted). Not long after the Saxon banners unfurled, they were joined by the banners of their Ingaevonic brothers, the Angles, Jutes and Frisians. With their combined armies, the Ingaevonic horde crashed onto the shores of eastern Britannia. With fire in their eyes, they set settlement after settlement ablaze, razing all evidence of the Romano-Britons. Mass grave after mass grave, Romano-Briton blood was spilled, litres of it for every drop of Ingaevonic blood shed. The Romano-Britons fled in terror, whilst the Northern Celts watched on in horror. The wrath of the Ingaevones seemed endless, yet, as quickly as it started, it stopped. The Ingaevonic advance halted, and, to his surprise, Vortigern recieved an invitation to a peace treaty from Hengist, with even a promise of Rowina's hand in marriage. Vortigern sent his son, Vortigerm, in his place, fearing a trick. Upon arrival, Hengist ordered the Ingaevones to leave their weapons outside, and Vortigerm ordered his men to do the same. The night was filled with friendly competition between the two peoples, many a Romano-Briton filled his belly with as much drink and meat as he could handle. Vortigerm spent the night in conversation with Rowina, flattering her as best he could. All was well, but, a Romano-Briton felt something was off. He knew the food & drink hadn't been poisoned because the Ingaevones also ate and drank. They ate and drank, sure, however, this man noted that they hadn't eaten nearly half of what they had been given, strange considering they had a reputation for having large appetites. Curiously, they also hadn't drank much, despite having a reputation for loving ale, wine & mead almost as much as they loved fighting. Indeed, it was strange. Vortigerm asked the Ingaevones if their reputation for merryment had been exaggerated, then suddenly stood bolt upright, blood pouring from his neck. Rowina, stood behind him with an elongated dagger through her "future husband"'s throat. Hengist heeded his daughter's signal and ordered his men to do what they do best. Kill. This peace treaty was nothing more than a ruse, a ruse that was known as the "Night of the Long Knives". These "Long Knives" were called "Seaxes", the weapon that lends it's name to the most warlike of the Ingaevonic tribes, the Saxons. These weapons had been concealed about the Ingaevones' clothing. Ordered by Hengist himself. The Ingaevones sent messengers to Vortigern. Brave souls who knew this would be their last act. These men carried the heads of each of the Romano-Britons who had attended the peace treaty. Many of whom were commanders and diplomats. Vortigern was crushed. His son AND his half-son both lay dead. The message Hengist had sent with them dictated that their deaths were in revenge for Horsa. Vortigern became too mournful to lead effectively, and the chief of the Wealas tribe of Romano-Britons took command of the Romano-Briton forces. As soon as the massacre was done and Vortigern became too weak to lead, Hengist ordered the Ingaevonic assault to continue. Over the next few years, Hengist routed the Wealas time and time again, culminating with forcing them in the modern day nation of Wales. The Romano-Britons tried breaking out of Wales several times, each to no avail. The aftermath of this war was the formation of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy, (The formation of the kingdoms of Northumbria, East Anglia, Mercia, Wessex, Sussex, Essex & Kent), which would later unite under the banner of Wessex and gain the name "England" (Land of the Ingaevones).

[srda-sabre]

The White Dragon

After driving Hengist and his Ingaevones back across the North Sea, Vortigern looked to reestablish his power over the Romano-Britons. He sought to build a mighty fortress to serve as a beacon to his enemies. After weeks of searching, he found the perfect place to build his fortress. Mount Snowden.

Over the next several months, building progressed quickly, with only one small hiccup. The discovery of a cave in the mountain. The workers built the foundations of the fortress into the roof of the cave, confident that it would hold fine. Once the fortress was finally complete, it stood proud for a few days until a great earthquake broughr it crumbling down.

Annoyed at this, Vortigern ordered it rebuilt. The workers did as he commanded and rebuilt it. A few days after it was finished, another earthquake brought it down. Infuriated, Vortigern demanded an explanation. One of the men who came to his court introduced himself as Merlin, a Druid Priest from near to Mount Snowden.

Merlin explained that the cave beneath the fortress housed two dragons, a White one and a Red one. These dragons, he told, had once been locked in a mighty battle, with neither gaining the upper hand. Their fighting brought destruction to the people’s lands and all attempts to slay them ended in disaster. Eventually, a plan was hatched, to have them land in a clearing on the side of the mountain. The warriors from the local tribes sent archers and spearmen to harass and shepherd the dragons towards the plateau, after several days, the two dragons landed and the locals triggered a rockslide, trapping the two dragons inside the cave. Exhausted, the dragons fell into a deep slumber. Once the workers began construction, these dragons had awoken and continued their futile struggle.

Vortigern asked what he could do to fix the problem, to which Merlin explained that the dragons must be freed if he wished for his fortress to remain standing. Vortigern decided that this was a necessary evil and ordered the cave to be opened. As the cave was revealed, the two men watched from a nearby clifftop. As soon as the two dragons emerged, locked in battle whilst they soared high into the air. Merlin exclaimed that the creatures were just as beautiful as they had been centuries ago when they were sealed away. Vortigern pondered for a moment, then asked what Merlin meant, seeing as Merlin was old and wise but he couldn’t possibly have been centuries old.

Merlin exclaimed that he had seen the two in a vision. Vortigern asked what this vision had been, to which Merlin exclaimed he had seen two mighty armies on either side of a field, one adorned with green and white, flying a banner adorned with a Red Dragon. The other was dressed in Red and White, and flew a banner adorned with a White Dragon. Both of these armies sounded mighty war drums, and soaring high above them, were the dragons that had adorned their banners. The White Dragon seemed to gain the upper hand initially, but as the Red Dragon’s army seemed on the verge of breaking, the Red Dragon let forth a mighty roar and lashed out at the White Dragon, severing it’s head with it’s sharp claws and the Red Dragon Banner flew victorious over the battlefield. When asked who the two armies were, Merlin explained that the Red Dragon represented the Wealas and the White Dragon served the Saxons.

Inspired by this, Vortigern ordered his armies to adorn their armour in Green and White and paint Red Dragons on their shields. He also sent a Saxon prisoner to recount the tale to the Saxons, in an attempt to demoralise his enemy.

Upon hearing this tale, Hengist let forth a hearty laugh and exclaimed that he would not only break the Britons’ bodies but that he would break their spirits too by exposing their druids as liars. He ordered his united Ingaevonic Army to dress in Red and White and adorn their sails, shields and tunics with the White Dragon.

Many years later, after Vortigern lay dead, the Wealas broken and forced out of large swathes of Britannia, and the Ingaevones fully in charge of what would become England, the Banner of the White Dragon became the battle flag of the Kindom of Wessex (West Saxons) and adorned the battlements of the many fortresses that stood between the Ingaevones and their many enemies (such as the Wealas, Scots, Picts and Gaels). Safe to say, the prophecy was proven false to the Wealas but the Ingaevones celebrated that they had defeated the red dragon once and for all.

[srda-sabre]

Left: The territory of the Germanic peoples, Marked in Red is Ingaevonic territory. Right: The 'Ing' Rune, in reference to Ing (Yngvi-Freyr). The Origins of the Ingaevones. The 'Ingaevones' was the name of a group of tribes from a region of Europe that borders the North Sea. These tribes were called the 'Jutes' (from Jutland, Northern Denmark), the 'Angles' (from Angeln, also Denmark), the 'Saxons' (from Saxony in Germany) and the 'Frisians' (from Frisia, the Netherlands). These tribes are well known for their Migration Era Invasion of Britain, which I will touch on more later. The name 'Ingaevones' means 'People of Yngvi/People of Ing', which is another name for Freyr (Yngvi-Freyr), the Germanic god of fertility, and attested to in the Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem. 'Ing was the first among the Danes, so seen until he went eastward over the sea, his wagon ran after him, thus the herdings named him hero'. It is from this, that it is believed the Ingaevones are descended from Ing/Freyr. As mentioned before, the Ingaevonic Invasion of Britain, and the later formation of England, was a pivotal event in European history. The Ingaevones (under the banner of the White Dragon) invaded in the 5th century AD, slaughtered the native Britons (Brythonic Celts) and spread out from a region known as East Anglia, the Angles moving North and West, establishing several kingdoms, most notably Northumbria. The Saxons took the south and established the kingdoms of Wessex (West Seax (West Saxons)), Essex (East Seax (East Saxons)), Sussex (South Seax (South Saxons)) and Mercia. The Jutes and Frisians did not establish their own kingdoms, preferring to settle amongst their allies. Over time, these four tribes formed a common identity, hence why we refer to the English as 'Anglo-Saxons'. Eventually, these Germanic peoples bred with the surviving Britons and later invading groups (such as the Vikings (Ironically also originating from the same regions as the Jutes and Angles, Denmark)). Culturally, the English are not too different from the 5th century settlers, albeit English culture slightly changed after 1066, as a result of the Norman conquest. After many centuries of warfare and conquest, the modern English emerged as a proud, strong and noble people.