In the year 450, two years after the last Roman legion had quitted England, Hengist and Horsa, two brothers, reputed descendants in the fourth generation from Wodin, one of the principal gods of the Saxons, embarked their army, to the number of 1,600, on board three vessels, and landing in the Isle of Thanet, immediately marched to the defence of the Britons, who had invited them over to protect them against their northern invaders. Having expelled the enemy, the fertility and richness of the country presented a temptation too strong to be resisted by the ambition of these newly acquired friends, who soon began to aspire to the possession of the island. The Saxons of Germany soon after reinforced Hengist and Horsa with 5,000 men, who came over in seventeen vessels. Roused by this display of treachery, the native inhabitants flew to arms, and fought many battles under Vortimer with their enemies; the victories, however, in these actions are disputed by the British and Saxon annalist, but the progress made by the Saxons proves that the advantage was commonly on their side. It was about the year 455 the Hengists aiming at an independent sovereignty in Britain, began the conquest of the territory, and a series of battles ensued between Hengist and Horsa on the one side, and Vortimer and Catigern, two sons of Vortigern, on the other. The battle of Aylesford is memorable for the death of Horsa on the side of the Saxons, and of Catigern on that of the Britons. But Hengist, continually reinforced by fresh numbers from Germany, carried devastation into the most remote corners of Britain; and being chiefly anxious to spread the terrors of his arms, he spared neither age, sex, nor condition, wherever he marched with his victorious forces. The private and public edifices of the Britons were reduced to ashes, the priests were slaughtered on the altars; others deserted their native country and took shelter in Armorica, where, being charitably received by a people of the same language and manners, they settled in great numbers, and gave the country the name of Brittany.