View source for Battle of Badon Hill

Recorded in the [[Easter Annals]], the '''Battle of Badon Hill''' ('''Mynydd Baddon''' in [[Old Welsh]]) is a relatively obscure [[battle]] which took place in [[England]] sometime in the early [[6th Century]].  Most likely it was fought in 518 C.E., between the native [[Briton]]s under the noted [[war]] chief ''Arthur'' (likely the person who inspired the later [[legend]]s of [[King Arthur]]), and the invading [[Saxon]]s under a warrior named [[Aelle]].

The exact location of the [[battlefield]] is not known, but it was probably near Badbury in Wiltshire, east of Somerset.  There is an ancient [[iron age]] [[earthwork]] [[fort]] now called Liddington [[Castle]] on a hilltop, just above the prehistoric road into Wiltshire.

== The Buildup ==
When the [[Roman]] legions abandoned their province of [[Britain|Brittania]] in the year 410 C.E., the native Britons were forced to defend themselves from invading [[Angle]]s, [[Jute]]s and [[Saxon]]s.  For generations they fought a series of losing wars against these invaders.  In the early [[6th century]], a war-chief emerged under [[Ambrosius Aurelianus]] who was able to consistently defeat the invaders time and again.

While the details of the battle are largely lost, historical evidence indicates that, when [[Aelle]] led a Saxon host west from the [[Saxon Shore]] to strike at Briton-held Shropshire, he was ambushed by Arthur's smaller force.

== The Battle ==
When Arthur's troops sprang their ambush on the Saxon column, the Saxons pulled into a rough [[shieldwall]] along the roadway and fought desperately until sundown, when Aelle withdrew his battered troops to a nearby [[high ground|hilltop]] under cover of darkness.

In the morning, Arthur's Britons were rested and well-fed.  By contrast, the Saxons had spent the night on a steep, exposed hilltop without [[water]] or firewood.  Rather than [[starve]] out the trapped Saxons, Arthur apparently chose to sweep them off the hilltop.  At first light, the Britons started a series of [[charge]]s up the hill.

Both sides engaged in a fierce [[melee]] all the second day, with the Britons charging up the steep hill and the Saxons countercharging down it.  However, the battle ended near sundown when Arthur personally led a [[cavalry]] charge up the steep slope and broke the Saxon shieldwall, then rode down the fleeing Saxons until it was too dark to continue.

== The Aftermath ==
The Battle of Badon Hill is relatively unknown, but it likely bought the various [[kingdom]]s of native Britons another generation or so of life before the waves of invaders from continental [[Europe]] would overwhelm them and drive the survivors into [[Wales]] and [[Ireland]].


[[category:battles (medieval)]]
[[category:King Arthur]]