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Kent
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Anglo-Saxon England's Realm of...
Kent
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"Vanguard of Liberty, ye men of Kent." --William Wordsworth, 1888 "Take my advice and you will never fear conquest from any man or any people, for my people are strong. I will invite my son and his cousin to fight against the Irish [the Scoti], for they are fine warriors." --Hengist, 5th century  Following the exodus of the Roman legions, what is now Kent grew out of a combination of Jutish mercenaries from the continent and native Britons (who, at this time, referred to the area as Ceint). As foederati to the Roman-British, the Jutish mercenaries, led by Hengist and Horsa, protected Britain from the Picts and Scots (Irish).  Around the mid-5th century, Hengist married the British king Vortigern's daughter, Rowena, to secure the friendship between the Britons and the Jutes. As a bride-gift, Vortigern granted the southeastern kingdom of Ceint to Hengist and his brother. By the time Vortigern's son, Vortimer, came to power, the Jutes were becoming demanding and their relationship with the Britons threatened. Vortimer's army engaged the Jutes in the Battles of Aylesthrep and Creganford, and the British civil war that ensued ultimately led to Kent becoming an entirely Jutish kingdom, and subsequently an Anglo-Saxon one. Kent is reputedly the first Germanic kingdom of the English heptarchy. 
The capital of Cantwarabyrig ('fortress of the Men of Kent', what is now Canterbury) is located in Eastorege (or Eastry, the 'eastern region'), the more important of the two kingdoms. The Kentish coastline had been known as the Saxon Shore since the 3rd century. On the Saxon Shore is located the Isle of Thanet, which was used as a Jutish base of operations.  Kent is densely wooded and the earth is rich in clay, chalk, and coal. Its foremost rivers include the River Medway, which runs westward into the Thames, and the River Stour in the east. Wildlife includes red squirrels, cranes, pine martens, beavers, egrets, common darters, swallows, adders, and slowworms. Fishing and farming are among Kent's traditional industries. While the beer brewing industry has been prominent in Kent, and its countryside is littered with oast houses, the hops-brewing trade has only existed in England since the 16th century. Sources: www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsBritain/EnglandKent.htm en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Kent www.sheernessheritagecentre.com www.britannica.com www.historic-kent.co.uk/
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