Battle of Mount Badon
The Battle of Mount Badon is a significant event in early medieval British history, traditionally attributed to the legendary figure of King Arthur. While the historical evidence surrounding the battle is limited, references to it appear in early texts, including Gildas's writings from the late 540s, which suggest it may have occurred around 503, although other sources like the Annales Cambriæ date it to 516. The battle is noted as the last of twelve engagements led by Arthur against various invaders, including the Saxons and other groups.
The precise location of Mount Badon is debated, with Bath in southwest Britain often cited as a likely site, although other locations in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have also been proposed. The battle reportedly lasted three days and involved a confrontation where Arthur, with his cavalry positioned on a hill, faced siege from Saxon forces led by Aelle. It is noted that Arthur's decisive charge resulted in significant Saxon casualties, claiming nearly one thousand lives.
The outcome of the Battle of Mount Badon is considered pivotal, marking a halt to the Saxon advances into Britain and initiating a period of relative stability and growth, often referred to as the Arthurian Golden Age, which lasted for approximately forty years. The significance of this battle resonates throughout Arthurian legend and British history, symbolizing resistance against external threats.
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Battle of Mount Badon
Type of action: Ground battle in defense of Britain
Date: between 495 and 516
Location: probably Bath, England
Combatants: Celts vs. Saxons
Principal commanders:Celtic, Arthur (c. 475-c. 537); Saxon, Aelle (fl. 500)
Result: Significant defeat of the Saxons
Although the historical evidence for the Battle of Mount Badon is thin, there is little reason to doubt it. It is referred to by Gildas in his De Excidio Britanniæ (The Ruin of Britain), written sometime in the late 540’s. He dates it to the year of his birth, forty-three years earlier. This would place the battle around 503. However the Annales Cambriæ (Welsh Annals) date it at 516, and a later date has much in its favor. It was the last of twelve battles by Arthur, the Celtic king. These ran the length and breadth of Britain against Saxons and other aggressors, including the Picts and Irish. The likeliest location for Badon is in southwest Britain, probably Bath, although many other sites have been suggested as far afield as Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The battle lasted for three days. A possible scenario is that Arthur drew his cavalry onto a hilltop, probably Soulsbury Hill outside Bath, and was there besieged by Saxon infantry, under Aelle of the southern Saxons, who was the Saxon bretwalda. Arthur led a charge against the Saxons where he killed almost one thousand.
Significance
The battle was so decisive that it halted the Saxon advance and ushered in a period of relative calm, lasting for about forty years, an Arthurian Golden Age. It probably destroyed the southern Saxons, as they disappeared from the Chronicles for more than 150 years.
Bibliography
Arthur: Myth and Reality Documentary. Castle Communications, 1994.
Dumville, D. N. “Sub-Roman Britain: History and Legend.” History 62 (1977).
Holmes, Michael. King Arthur: A Military History. London: Blandford, 1998.
Lapidge, Michael, and David Dumville. Gildas: New Approaches. Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 1984.