Why did Vortigern do what he did? He chose what he thought was the less dangerous path, seeking to end an immediate threat but not looking ahead to what could have been a tremendous long-term threat. Further, he was desperate. The Saxons offered immediate help.
Why was Vortigern the one to do the deed? He was the leader of the council, the “high ruler among other rulers,” the one who did such things. Military or civil authority, he had the job of implementing the council’s decisions.
Why is Vortigern held up for blame? His name survives, mainly through the writings of the historians who wrote about the period: Gildas, Nennius, Geoffrey of Monmouth. Historians all too often look for one target on which to affix blame. Vortigern is all too convenient for this purpose.
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