Catigern facts for kids

Catigern (Welsh: Cadeyrn Fendigaid) is a well-known person from old Welsh stories. He is often said to be the son of Vortigern, who was a powerful king of the Britons. Catigern was also the brother of Vortimer. He is mostly remembered for a famous battle where he fought against the Saxons.

What His Name Means

The name Catigirn comes from Old Welsh. It means 'Battle-Prince'. This name is made from two older words:

• *katu- which means 'combat' or 'battle'.
• tigernos which means 'lord' or 'master'.

So, his name tells us he was seen as a leader in battle.

His Story

Early Mentions

The oldest book that talks about Catigern is the Historia Brittonum. This book was written in the 800s and is thought to be by a monk named Nennius.

The book tells us that King Vortigern was trying to make peace with the Saxons. But Vortigern's son, Vortimer, decided to fight against the Saxons instead.

The Battle of Epsford

Vortimer fought the Saxons in four battles. In the third battle, called the Battle of Epsford (near Aylesford), Catigern died. A Saxon leader named Horsa also died in the same battle.

The book also says that Catigern was Vortigern's second son. It seems like Catigern was fighting alongside his brother Vortimer against the Saxons. Another old book, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, also describes this battle around the year 455. It mentions Horsa's death but does not mention Catigern.

Different Family Trees

Catigern's name also appears in some old Welsh family trees, called the Harleian genealogies. In these lists, he is sometimes called Cattegirn. He is shown as an ancestor of the rulers of Powys.

However, in these family trees, he is not listed as Vortigern's son. Instead, he is said to be the son of a legendary Powys ancestor named Cadell Ddyrnllwg. This shows that there were different stories about Catigern's family.

Later Stories and Legends

Geoffrey of Monmouth's Account

Catigern appears briefly in Geoffrey of Monmouth's famous book, Historia Regum Britanniae. Geoffrey took the story from the Historia Brittonum and added a detail: he wrote that Catigern and Horsa met face-to-face in battle at Epsford and killed each other.

Geoffrey's book was very popular in the Middle Ages and helped spread the story of Catigern. Because of this, Catigern has appeared in other stories and plays that were based on Geoffrey's work. For example, his fight with Horsa is in a poem called "The Death of Horsa" by John Lesslie Hall. He also shows up as a small character in a play called Vortigern and Rowena by William Henry Ireland.

Kit's Coty House

There is an ancient stone tomb called Kit's Coty House near Aylesford. Local legends say that this tomb is where Catigern was buried.