# Who was King Vortigern's predecessor?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-king-vortigerns-predecessor/822099>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 28, 2018, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-king-vortigerns-predecessor/822099 "2018-09-28T08:27:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-king-vortigerns-predecessor/822099/1 "2018-09-28T08:27:32Z")

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Hi

I seem to remember reading about Vortigern’s predecessor many years ago. I have not been able to find anything on Google regarding any kings before Vortigern. From what I remember of this figure (however mythical) Vortigern schemed to succeed him as king. I don’t remember the details. I hope someone can help me. I look forward to your feedback.

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**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-king-vortigerns-predecessor/822099/2 "2018-09-28T08:48:41Z")

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The one I know is Constantine (III or II, depending on if counting as Western Roman or British), the father of Uther Pendragon and Ambrosius Aurelianus. That’s according to the\*[Historia Regum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historia_Regum_Britanniae#Books_Five_and_Six)\* of Geoffrey of Monmouth. Or perhaps you’re thinking of their brother [Constans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constans_II_(son_of_Constantine_III)).

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**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-king-vortigerns-predecessor/822099/3 "2018-09-28T12:54:23Z")

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The other figure associated with him is the historical [Magnus Maximus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_Maximus), whose( otherwise unattested )daughter was supposedly Vortigern’s wife. This is based on a 9th century Welsh inscription tracing a royal ancestry, so again firmly in the realm of the legendary.

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**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-king-vortigerns-predecessor/822099/4 "2018-09-28T17:02:23Z")

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Right… I always had the impression that after the Romans pulled out, you had a sort of gradual decline where the Romano-British fragmented into multiple smaller kingdoms, and Vortigern was one of those kings, and happened to get lucky enough to get mentioned by Bede.