AN: This will be, at least in the first chapter, in a timeline format, writing intense narrative for all 2000 years would be too daunting for me. I will skip/gloss over parts that are the same as our timeline in the first chapter or so. If you're familiar with the concept of "Butterflies" in alternate history, due to the constraints given by Code Geass canon, butterflies will be "massacred" so to speak, events will more or less be kept the same until the 16th century with minor details changed. Think of this timeline as out of an infinite parallel timelines, the history turned out this way.
Foreword:
The origins of the Britannian nation had always been shrouded in myths and legends. The Celtic tribes, the Roman province, the Kingdom of Dummonia, Anglaland... Whichever was the beginning, it had always erred the victors of the ages one way or the other, so truths were swept under the dust and from those dusts emerged myths. HIH (His Imperial Highness) Prince Schneizel Romulus eu Britannia, Duke of Lancaster had once remarked that Britannian historical academia was like a piece of chalk, the "truth" the chalkboard, and the Emperors the writer. With a sweep of their hands, these figures of utmost Imperial might smudged what was written and rewrote barely legible words on the whitened board.
Thus it is with rare graciousness we celebrate the new reign of HIM (His Imperial Majesty) Edward XI Amadeus von Britannia without a new edition of the "The Complete and Modern Classic History of the Most Holy Britannic Empire". Instead, as we humble figures on the fringe of our country's academia have groveled for over centuries, His Imperial Majesty had issued an open funding grant across national high centres of learning, it's purpose; to compile the most precise and unbiased, yet concise rendition of our country's historical heritage. Indeed I must profess that even as a historian it would be presumptuous to assume anyone could piece together the complete unadulterated stories of the past, but I must present my gratitude towards His Imperial Majesty and Empress-Mother Nunnally for the recent release of classified records of the Tudor era. For those publications, and the freedom of incorporating uncensored material from the former E.U. and Chinese Empire allowed us to present a historical story that was, at the very least, reconcilable with itself. For lack of a better word, in the current age of time, this shall be, the most complete and modern, and finally, the most accurate history of our Britannic Empire.
- Wayne Chandrason-Barrington, a.t.b 2040
Part I: Behind the Mists of Avalon: Origins of the Britannian Nation to the Norman Conquest
Note: Regnal numbers in parentheses like Edward (III) indicate pre-Norman Conquest regnal numbers, post-Conquest regnal numbers are counted separate as established by Emperor Richard IV in a.t.b 1827.
54 BCE/a.t.b. 0 September 26 - The Celtic tribes gathered under Cassivellaunus, chief of the Catuvellauni, were defeated by Roman and allied Celtic forces under Julius Caesar after betrayal of tribes under rival king Mandubracius. Cassivellaunus was killed in battle, while Mandubracius executes the former's nephews.
Now without a representative for an unified Celtic front, Caesar was convinced that he should extend his campaign one more month to force the Catuvellauni and other tribes into submission. The scattered tribal forces regroup to neighbouring Iceni strongholds under the young noble Alwinius (Eowyn), with rallying calls continued as the Romans pressed north.
54 BCE/a.t.b. 0 October - The unified Celtic army was able to ambush the exhausted Roman legions harried by guerrila units, although the Romans were able to retreat in order, Mandubracius and much of his Trinovantes tribesmen were massacred.
Understanding that the tattered tribal army could not win against Caesar in open pitched battle and content with the destruction of Trinovantes authority, Eowyn decided to submit to Caesar under the condition that he be acknowledged the paramount authority in Britain. Caesar agreed to the terms and departed with his legions after Eowyn paid tribute.
The Cantiaci however, grew restless under Eowyn' hegemony. Caesar notes that Eowyn is always accompanied by a favored concubine/mistress, and humorously infers the early sexual maturity of Celtic youth.
No Roman records indicate the loss of Caesar's sword during this campaign, casting doubt on the medieval claims that Excalibur was Caesar's sword Eowyn forcibly obtained. Although a sword was recorded to have been gifted to Eowyn by the Romans.
52 BCE/a.t.b. 2 - The Atrebates tribe under Commius migrate to southern Britain following their participation in Vercingetorix's rebellion against Rome, Commius faces a strong foe in Eowyn' Catuvellauni hegemony.
44 BCE/a.t.b. 10 - Roman officials in Gaul gains word that Eowyn manages to force Commius into submission and nominally absorbs the Atrebate kingdom, and establishes a royal city at Camulodunum (Colchester). The next year he campaigns north to his former allies the Iceni and forces their absolute submission. Roman officials in Gaul attempt to sow dissent among the Atrebate and Cantiaci tribes. Later Imperial historiography considers this the beginning of Eowyn I's reign.
27 BCE/a.t.b. 27 - Roman officials in Gaul were aware that Eowyn was assassinated in his sleep by his Iceni concubine. No extant records show any Roman involvement. Eowyn's reportedly ever-youthful mistress disappears, becoming the core of Alwinic tales of the blessed Goddess Britannia aiding Eowyn.
Eowyn's son, Epaticcus succeeds him, and continues his policy of nominal tribute to the Romans. Frequent rebellions among the Atrebate, Cantiaci and other southern tribes occur. Imperial historiography acknowledges this as Epaticcus I's reign.
12 AD/a.t.b. 66 - The new king of Catuvellauni, Cunobeline I, grandson of Eowyn, adopts a hard-line approach to Roman Gaul and the Atrebate rebels.
40 AD/a.t.b. 94 - The last chieftain of the Atrebates escape to Gaul and pleads for Roman assistance. The newly ascended Catuvellauni king Caratacus I sends an arrogant letter to Gaul demanding the return of the Atrebate chief.
43 AD/a.t.b. 97 - Roman Emperor Claudius mounts a massive invasion to enforce the submission of the Catuvellauni. The Celtic armies were defeated in a series of pitched battle around the River Thames by Titus Flavius Vespasianus, Camulodunum is captured and set as the new capital of Roman Province of Britannia.
51 AD/a.t.b. 115 - Caratacus is finally captured and brought to Rome, he was sentenced to serve in a gladiatorial match, but emerged as a victor three consecutive times. He was later executed after a military parade.
His infant grandson was brought to Rome and educated in Roman customs, at his majority he adopted the name Tiberius Claudius Alwinius and served in the Roman administration of Britannia in some capacity and disappears from Roman records after 90 AD. He is often numbered as Emperor Eowyn II in later historiography despite not ruling.
449 AD/a.t.b. 503 - The Roman-Briton ruler Vortigern (Roman records were not clear the exact position of Vortigern, but we know he held considerable authority in southern Britannia), invites the Saxon brothers Hengist and Horsa as mercenaries to fight against the rival Dummonian king Ambrosius Aurelianus and his brother Uther Ambrosius. Vortigern takes the daughter of Hengist, Rowena, as wife, and settles the Saxons as foederati, a distinct overreach of his power.
The exact genealogy between Eowyn II and the Ambrosius brothers is unclear given the lack of extant records. Although it is probable that the Dummonians arise from remnants of the Catuvellauni moving west, and the first king of Dummonia named Caratacus (II) could possibly have Catuvellauni links. However, the family tree between a.t.b 115 - 503 featured in Edric Tiberius Highland's Ascension Throne Britannia: Scions of Eowyn is certainly fabricated.
450s - 460s AD/a.t.b. 500s - 510s - Vortigern was able to drive Ambrosius's forces back, but were pushed back to Thanet when forces under Vortimer, elder son of Vortigern, joined the ranks of Aurelius to fight off the perceived "Saxon invaders", Horsa is slain in combat by Ambrosius.
Rowena abandons Vortigern and gives birth to a son named Cerdic/Caratacus, the father was claimed to be Uther, although the Arthurian cycle tale of Uther running off with Rowena and hiding in the mountains for 10 years is improbable as Uther was attested in charters from Ambrosius.
The Saxons were defeated 3 more times under the combined leadership of Vortimer and Ambrosius over the next decade, however both Vortimer and Ambrosius perish in battle. Imperial historians consider Ambrosius I as "Emperor of Britannia" despite sharing power with Vortimer.
Hengist later forces Vortigern to surrender all his authority in southern Britannia after murdering all of his loyal supporter, Vortigern flees north, succumbing to sickness en route.
470s - 480s AD/a.t.b. 520 - 530s - Uther I succeeds the combined leadership of the remaining Roman-Britons. over the next decade he manages to extend Dummonia's authority across Britannia, claiming the title of Pen draig. Rowena and Cerdic/Caratacus does not appear in his court, possibly exiled by Uther to placate supporters for his kingship. Uther gains a son whom he names Ambrosius Artorius Aurelianus.
490s - 520s AD/a.t.b. 530s - 560s - Uther dies and is succeeded after a few years of chaos by Artorius/Arthur (I). Supposedly he finds the legendary sword of Eowyn taken from Caesar in the ancient stone tomb of Cunobeline, giving rise to the legend of Excalibur.
Artorius notably gathers the sons of numerous petty kings to train in formation for his personal army. At Uther's death, Caratacus, now going by the Germanic form of his name, Cerdic, leads the unified Saxons in Eastern Britannia, he claims the throne of Uther as the eldest son.
The brothers engaged in several battles culminating in Mount Badon, where Cerdic was defeated after Artorius was able to flank through the Saxon ranks at the head of a small cavalry unit, Artorius was severely wounded in the encounter. Cerdic loses his hold on the Saxons north of the River Thames, while those under his control grow discontent at the helm of his cousin, Hengist's paternal grandson Octa. Within a few years Artorius was murdered by his son Morderatus.
Sources differ as to who succeeded Artorius, but by 530 AD/a.t.b. 584, it was King Constantine (III) of Dummonia who faced Cynric, grandson of Cerdic in battle. Cerdic is often acknowledged as Caratacus (V) as a co-Emperor in the Roman fashion by later Imperial historiography. The Dummonian line is recognized as Emperor by post-Tudor academia after Cerdic's death.
560s AD/a.t.b. 610s - Ceawlin, son of Cynric succeeds in establishing a kingdom of Saxons just east of Dummonia, becoming known as the "West Saxons" (Wessex). Dummonia is steadily pushed west. The male-line descendants of Hengist hold the south-eastern portion of Britannia, becoming the kingdom of Kent, while the Angles established themselves in Middle Anglia, Mercia, and in the North. Imperial historiography considers Ceawlin as Emperor in place of the Romano-Briton line.
580s AD/a.t.b. 630s- Ceawlin moves the royal court to the previous Dummonian city of Venta Belgarum/Cair Guinntgui, renaming it: Wintan-ceastre/Winchester. Subsequently he claims the title of Bretwalda ("Imperium") after accepting tribute from numerous Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms.
Thereafter the Dummonians wane in power and claims of Romano-Briton Kingship are passed to the northwestern kingdoms such as Gwynedd, who are more based in Wales.
658 AD/a.t.b. 712 - The last King of a semi-united Roman-Briton, Cadwallader of Gwynedd is defeated in battle by the Wessex kingdom, thereby completely retreating into the Welsh forests, and severing the landed-link with the Dummonians, who had retreated into Cornwall.
802 AD/a.t.b. 856 - Ecgberht of Wessex/Egbert, descendant of Ceawlin, claims the throne of Wessex from his distant kinsmen Beorhtric. He subsequently secures the election to the throne of Kent using the dual claim of a descendant of Cerdic and the House of Kent from his grandmother.
829 AD/a.t.b. 883 - Egbert (I) becomes Bretwalda after defeating the Mercian army, beginning the Wessex supremacy that lead to the formation of an unified England under his descendant Ethelstan (I) the Glorious.
829 AD - 1066 AD/a.t.b. 883 - 1120 - Wessex supremacy in England despite the Norse intrusions of the late 9th and early 11th century. The invading Norse kings such as Sweyn, Canute, Harold (I) and Harthacanute are discarded as usurpers by post-Tudor scholars.
1066 AD/a.t.b. 1120 January - Duke William II of Normandy claims the throne of England after the death of Edward (III) the Confessor through the dubious claim of Edward naming him the successor despite not being a descendant of Cerdic. In England, Harold Godwinson usurps the throne as Harold (II) after forcing the Witenagamot to recognize his election over Edgar, the grandson of Edward's elder brother Edmund (II) Ironside.