Conscience of the King

Conscience of the King (1951) is an historical novel by British author Alfred Duggan based on the life of Cerdic Elesing, founder of the Kingdom of Wessex. It begins 40 years after the events covered in The Little Emperors (also 1951), set during the last years of Roman Britain from 406-410 CE. His later novel The King of Athelney (1962) concerns one of Cerdic's most famous descendants, Alfred the Great. Plot The story begins with Cerdic's birth in 451 CE, ending shortly before his death in 534 CE. Britain now consists of small states battling each other while also fighting off Danes, Irish, Picts, Jutes, Angles and Saxons. Cerdic (whose Roman name is Coroticus) is the youngest son of Eleutherus, King of the Regni, a territory in southern England roughly equivalent to modern East and West Sussex. Although raised as a Roman, his paternal grandfather was closely related to a Germanic ruler given land in Southern Britain around 370 CE in return for military service. This was common practice in the late Roman Empire and means he is at home in both cultures. The novel purports to be Cerdic's personal memoir and essentially fictional, although certain characters and events are found in the historical record. He plans to deposit the manuscript in a ruined church, which means it will not be read for centuries and he can be completely honest. Cerdic feels true affection only for his son Cynric and does not hesitate to remove anyone else who stands in his way, including family members. This ruthlessness is a quality shared by others, including his brother and wife. He recognizes and values honour and loyalty in people such as the Romano-British leader Ambrosius Aurelianus and this makes him an interesting, multi-dimensional character. The first part of the book covers Cerdic's life as a Romano-British noble; he is a generally loyal supporter of his father but frustrated by his lack of independence. This ends in his mid-20s when he murders his eldest brother Constans in a dispute over loot and has to flee. He passes himself off as a Saxon, concealing his real name and background and makes his way to Frisia in the modern Netherlands. He becomes chief advisor to the Saxon leader Aella, marries and has a son, Cynric. He persuades Aella to invade his father's kingdom and after several years, they storm the capital of Anderida and slaughter the inhabitants, including his father and second brother Paul; the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle dates this to 491 CE.