The transformation of Roman Britain

[Robert Vermaat]

Wessex rose in power in the area very near of Dumnonia, the ancient tribal territory of the Belgae. It has been suggested that Cerdic was a foederati leader of mixed birth. His first success may be explained by a population used to live near those germanic foederati and supporting them. And when the time of conquest rise, they feel more Saxons than Britons, thus supporting their Germanic leader against the Wealas - the Dumnonians.

It's been suggested that the origins of Wessex lay in the Upper Thames Valley, since their first bishopric was situated in Dorchester on Thames. Whatever the true origins, the names of the first kings of Wessex (or at least the first kings later claimed as the first king), were British-sounding enough to at least keep open the probability that they were Britons.
Wessex (or rather the Gewissae as they were originally referred to) conquered the territory to the south, including Hampshire and Wight during the mid- to late 6th c., before they in turn were pressed south by Mercia in the early 7th c. But most of the dynastic material of early Wessex seems to come from that of the Jutes of Hamshire and Wight, not from the early Gewissae (of which we know nothing before Cerdic).

Foederati often appeared to take advantage of the situation. Ida of Bernicia chased the Bryneich king from his palace, and Bryneich only remained as an enclave. Deirans will take control of Ebrauc, the mighty kingdom of Peredur ap Ellifer Gosgordfawr.

Where does that story of the chased-out king come from?
By Deirans you mean Germanic federates? Or the original Britons? Yes, Eliffer (Eleutherius?) 'of the Great Host' seems to have been influential, given his position in the Northern pedigrees.

And when it cames to choose your identidy as a Briton or a Saxon, when you would be given some law advantages by adopting Germanic customs, religion and language, Britons would have choose this - at least part of them. A parallel may be Muslim Spain, when Christians paid more imposition than Muslims.

I absolutely agree with that.

Pray that the devil finds you before I do, lest I cause you pains unknown even to the damned!
Unknown Welsh general to a Saxon general; shouted across a field.

Wow - nice quote! Where did you find it? [/quote]