Aurelius Ambrosius

Also known as: Ambrosius / Aurelius · Family: Britons · Role: king · First appears: Book IV 17–20

In Book VI, Aurelius Ambrosius was born as one of three sons of Constantine, alongside Constans and Uther Pendragon. Guethelin was entrusted with his education, and after Aurelius and Uther Pendragon fled Britain to escape Vortigern, Budes received them in Lesser Britain and educated them according to their royal birth.

In Book VIII, Aurelius returned to Britain with Uther Pendragon and ten thousand men. The Britons anointed him king and paid him homage: “Having assembled together the clergy, they anointed Aurelius king, and paid him the customary homage.” He besieged Vortigern at Genoreu, where fire destroyed the tower and killed him, then defeated Hengist’s forces. After Eldol beheaded Hengist, Aurelius ordered his burial; at York, he accepted Eldad’s counsel, showed mercy to Octa and Eosa, granted their people land bordering Scotland, and made a covenant with them.

After the wars, Aurelius ordered churches restored, revived laws, restored peace, justice, and rightful inheritances, and planned a monument for the slain British leaders. At the direction of Merlin, the Giant’s Dance was brought from Ireland, and Aurelius later crowned himself at Pentecost. He appointed Sanxo to York and Dubricius to the City of Legions, defeated Pascentius’s invading forces, and was poisoned at Winchester by Eopa and Ambron. “But the poison quickly diffused itself through all the pores and veins of his body, so that the sleep ended in death.” Merlin revealed his death, which was recorded by Gildas; later, Uther Pendragon was buried close by Aurelius, and Lot married Aurelius’s sister.