Hengest or Hengist (d. 488?) was the semi-legendary founding ruler of the kingdom of Kent in southeast England. His name's common Germanic for "stallion". He's paired in the early sources with his brother Horsa ("horse"). Accounts of Hengest There're several early sources that refer to a "Hengest". The earliest clear source's Bede, whose Ecclesiastical History of the English People (written about 730) states that Hengest was brought to Britain by Vortigern as a mercenary, to fight the Picts. Th… (More on Hengist)