Hengest

deity single tradition · 1

Hengest is said to be one of the two first commanders of the Kingdom of Kent. He is the son of Victgilsus, and his grandfather was Woden. Hengest is part of the stock from which the royal race of many provinces deduce their original.

When

First attested
731 CE
Attested period
731 – 1200
Historical notes
Attested in Bede's Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum.

Relationships

sibling of
Horsa
child of
Victgilsus, Wihtgils

Expand to full subgraph →

Sources

Source passages

“Bede relates that Hengest and Horsa, semi-legendary founders of the Kentish royal family, were sons of Wihtgils (Victgilsi), [son of Witta (Vitti)], son of Wecta (Vecta), son of Woden. Grimm suggested that a shared first element of these names Wicg-, representing Old Saxon wigg and Old Norse vigg, and reflects, like the names Hengest and Horsa”

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