Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon England facts for kids
The Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon England was a big change that happened during the 600s. It was mostly started by a group of missionaries sent by Pope Gregory I in 597, called the Gregorian mission. Later, missionaries from Ireland and Scotland, known as the Hiberno-Scottish mission, joined in from the 630s. This process helped spread Christianity across the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.
Æthelberht of Kent was the first king to become a Christian around 601. Other kings like Saebert of Essex and Rædwald of East Anglia followed in 604. However, when Æthelberht and Saebert died in 616, their sons were still pagan and didn't like Christianity. They kicked out the missionaries and encouraged their people to go back to their old gods. Christianity only survived with Rædwald, who worshipped both the pagan gods and Christ.
The first Archbishops of Canterbury in the early 600s were from the original Gregorian mission. The first Anglo-Saxon to become archbishop was Deusdedit of Canterbury in 655. The first Anglo-Saxon bishop was Ithamar, who became Bishop of Rochester in 644.
A major turning point for Christianity happened in 655 when King Penda was killed in the Battle of the Winwaed. After this, Mercia officially became Christian for the first time. Penda's death also allowed Cenwalh of Wessex to return from exile and bring Wessex, another powerful kingdom, back to Christianity. After 655, only Sussex and the Isle of Wight were openly pagan. By 686, Arwald, the last openly pagan king, was killed in battle. From then on, all Anglo-Saxon kings were at least officially Christian. Over time, the old pagan beliefs among common people slowly became part of English folklore.
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Early Christianity in Britain
Christianity was present in Roman Britain from at least the 200s. It was brought by traders, immigrants, and soldiers. In 313, the Roman emperors Constantine and Licinius issued the "Edict of Milan", which allowed people to practice Christianity freely. The next year, three bishops from Britain attended a church meeting in Arles, France. This shows that by the early 300s, British Christians were already organized and connected to the church in Gaul (modern-day France).
Around 429, British bishops asked for help from Gaul to deal with a religious issue. Germanus of Auxerre and Lupus were sent. Germanus, who used to be a government official, is said to have led the Britons to victory against Pictish and Saxon raiders.
Kent's Christian Journey (588–640)
King Æthelberht and Bertha's Marriage
In 595, Pope Gregory I decided to send missionaries to convert the Anglo-Saxons. At this time, the Kingdom of Kent was ruled by King Æthelberht. He had married a Christian princess named Bertha before 588. Bertha was the daughter of a Frankish king. As part of her marriage, she brought a bishop named Liudhard with her to Kent. They fixed up an old Roman church in Canterbury, which might be the St Martin's Church we see today.
Æthelberht was pagan, but he let his wife practice her Christian faith freely. It seems Liudhard didn't convert many Anglo-Saxons. Some historians believe that Æthelberht, influenced by his wife and Kent's close ties with the Franks, asked Pope Gregory to send more missionaries.
Gregorian Mission Arrives in Kent
The missionaries arrived in Kent in 597. They quickly had some success. King Æthelberht allowed them to live and preach in his capital, Canterbury. They used St. Martin's Church for their services, and it became the main church for the bishop. Æthelberht himself probably converted in 597. In those days, if a ruler converted, many of their people would often follow. Large numbers of people in Kent became Christians within a year of the missionaries' arrival. By 601, Pope Gregory was writing to Æthelberht, calling him his son and mentioning his baptism.
Historians believe Æthelberht's decision to convert might have been for more than just religious reasons. Kent had strong connections with the Frankish kingdoms in Gaul. Becoming Christian could have helped Æthelberht improve his relationships with them. Also, new ways of governing often came with Christianity, either directly from the church or from other Christian kingdoms.
Even though Æthelberht encouraged conversion, he couldn't force his people to become Christians. This suggests that there were still many strong pagan beliefs in the kingdom. The king had to rely on encouraging people and showing them kindness to get them to convert.
Eadbald's Pagan Reaction (616)
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| Front: Bust of Eadbald. | Back: Cross on globe. |
| Gold coin of Eadbald of Kent, 616–40 | |
Eadbald became king when his father died in 616. Even though his father and mother were Christian, Eadbald was pagan. His mother, Bertha, had died earlier, and his father had remarried. Eadbald then married his stepmother, which was against church rules.
The historian Bede wrote that Eadbald turning away from Christianity was a "severe setback" for the church. Around the same time, Sæberht, the Christian king of Essex, died. His sons then expelled Mellitus, the bishop of London. Bede says Eadbald suffered from "frequent fits of insanity" as punishment for his lack of faith. Eventually, he was convinced to leave his wife and become Christian.
Eadbald's second wife, Ymme, was Frankish. Kent's strong ties with Francia (France) likely played a part in Eadbald's conversion. Trade and diplomatic connections with the Franks were very important to Kent. It's thought that Frankish pressure had influenced Æthelberht to become Christian, and Eadbald's conversion was probably linked to similar political decisions.
Some old graves from this time show objects with designs related to the pagan god Woden. These objects likely date from the period when paganism returned.
Eorcenberht Destroys Idols (640)
According to Bede, King Eorcenberht was the first king in Britain to order that pagan "idols" (religious statues) be destroyed. He also ordered that Lent (a Christian fasting period) be observed. This shows that even though King Eadbald had converted many years before, many people in Kent were still openly pagan in 640.
Essex's Story (604–665)
- 604: Sæberht of Essex is baptized by Mellitus.
- 616: Sexred and Sæward of Essex become kings; paganism returns.
- 653: Sigeberht the Good is baptized.
- 660: Swithhelm of Essex becomes king; paganism returns.
- 662: Swithhelm is baptized.
- 665: Sighere of Essex leads a pagan return.
- 665: Jaruman is sent to convert the East Saxons again.
Sæbert of Essex became Christian in 604. But after he died in 616, his sons Sexred and Sæward drove out Bishop Mellitus and encouraged their people to go back to the old gods. Essex stayed officially pagan until 653. Then, King Oswy of Northumbria convinced Sigeberht the Good to convert and allow a missionary named Cedd to preach there.
In 660, Sigeberht was killed by his pagan brothers because he was too friendly to Christianity. Swithhelm took over, but King Æthelwold of East Anglia convinced him to convert in 662. Swithhelm died in 664. His two cousins, Sighere and Sæbbi, then ruled Essex together. When a plague broke out in 665, Sighere "abandoned the Christian faith and went back to paganism." The people in Sighere's part of Essex became openly pagan again. However, Sæbbi's ally, Wulfhere of Mercia, sent a bishop named Jaruman to convert them. Sighere was the last pagan king of Essex.
East Anglia's Path (604–630)
Rædwald's Baptism (604)
Rædwald of East Anglia became Christian in Kent, probably invited by King Æthelberht. The exact date isn't known, but it was likely soon after Saebert's conversion. However, Rædwald's conversion wasn't popular with everyone in his household, including his wife. She and her pagan teachers probably convinced him to partly go back on his promise. So, in his temple, he had two altars: one for Christ and one for the Anglo-Saxon gods. Rædwald is believed to be the king buried at Sutton Hoo, where both pagan and Christian symbols were found.
In 616, when paganism returned in Kent and Essex, Rædwald was the only (partially) Christian king left in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Rædwald died in 624, and his son Eorpwald became king.
Eorpwald's Baptism (627)
Bishop Paulinus helped convert people in Northumbria, Lindsey, and East Anglia. King Edwin of Northumbria encouraged Eorpwald and his kingdom to accept Christianity. Eorpwald was not Christian during his father's life or when he became king. It's likely that Edwin, who was a powerful ruler, was his sponsor at baptism. This conversion helped bring the entire eastern coast under the rule of Christian kings allied with Edwin, except for Essex.
Ricberht's Pagan Reaction (627)
Not long after his conversion, Eorpwald was killed by a pagan named Ricberht. We don't know the exact reasons. It's unclear if Ricberht was part of an internal East Anglian group against Christian rule, or if he was sent by an outside power to weaken Edwin's influence.
Bede says that after Eorpwald's death, the kingdom went back to pagan rule for three years. This doesn't necessarily mean a big fight between the old gods and Christ. It could also mean a conflict over political alliances that Edwin's rise to power had caused. The fact that Ricberht's name was remembered at all suggests he was an important person.
Sigeberht Returns from Exile (630)
After the three years of pagan rule, Sigeberht of East Anglia was called back from Gaul (France) to become ruler of the East Angles. He probably gained the kingdom through military strength. During his reign, part of the kingdom was ruled by his relative Ecgric. Sigeberht had equal or more power than Ecgric, and his religious influence was felt throughout the kingdom.
Sigeberht's conversion to Christianity might have been a key factor in him becoming king. At that time, Edwin of Northumbria and Eadbald of Kent were the only other Christian rulers. Sigeberht likely encouraged Ecgric to convert if he wasn't already Christian.
Bede tells us that Saint Felix came to England from Burgundy as a missionary bishop. He was sent by Honorius, the Archbishop of Canterbury, to help Sigeberht. Sigeberht set up the bishop's main church for Felix at Dommoc, which is thought to be either Dunwich or Walton (Felixstowe) in Suffolk.
Sigeberht also started a school in his kingdom for boys to learn reading and writing in Latin, based on what he had seen in Gaul. Felix helped him find teachers like those in Kent.
Around 633, an Irish missionary named Fursey came from Ireland with his priests to East Anglia. Sigeberht gave him a monastery site in an old Roman fort called Cnobheresburg, which is usually identified as Burgh Castle near Yarmouth. Both Felix and Fursey helped convert many people and built churches in Sigeberht's kingdom.
Northumbria's Conversion (625–634)
- 625: Paulinus begins preaching.
- 627: Edwin is baptized.
- 633: Osric and Eanfrith of Bernicia become kings; paganism returns.
- 634: Oswald becomes king.
Paulinus arrived in Bernicia in 625 to convince Edwin to become Christian. Edwin allowed his daughter Eanfled to be baptized. He promised to be baptized himself if his military campaign against Cwichelm of Wessex was successful. Bede says Edwin was finally baptized on April 12, 627. However, he didn't seem to try hard to convert his people.
Edwin died in 633. Osric and Eanfrith, his cousin and nephew, took over Bernicia and Deira. Both Osric and Eanfrith had been baptized while living in exile with the Picts. But when they became kings, they brought their kingdoms back to paganism. They were both killed by Cadwallon ap Cadfan of Gwynedd in 634. Cadwallon was then killed by Eanfrith's brother, Oswald, in the same year.
Oswald had been baptized while in exile with the Scots. He convinced his council to accept baptism if they won against Cadwallon. Oswald asked for missionaries to convert the pagan Bernicians and Deirans. The first bishop who tried gave up, saying the Northumbrians were strongly pagan and refused to convert. Then, Aidan arrived in 635 and spent the rest of his life converting the Northumbrians, dying in 651.
Mercia's Turn (653–655)
- 653: Preaching begins.
- 655: Peada is crowned.
The pagan King Penda allowed Christian missionaries to start preaching in Mercia in 653. This happened when his son Peada was baptized. Peada had become Christian to marry Alhflæd, the daughter of Oswiu of Bernicia. Penda was killed in battle against Oswiu on November 15, 655. Peada then became king, making him Mercia's first Christian ruler. Unlike other kingdoms, Mercia did not officially return to paganism after this.
Sussex's Conversion (675–681)
- 675: Æthelwealh is baptized.
- 681: Wilfrid begins preaching.
King Æthelwealh of Sussex was baptized in Mercia around or before 675. This was probably a condition for marrying the Christian Queen Eafa. In 681, Bishop Wilfrid arrived in Sussex to start converting the general population. Æthelwealh gave Wilfrid land in Selsey, where he founded Selsey Abbey.
While there, Wilfrid met with Cædwalla of Wessex and promised to support his invasion of Sussex. In 685, Cædwalla, who was now King of Wessex, invaded Sussex and killed Æthelwealh. Two of Æthelwealh's leaders, Berthun and Andhun, drove Cædwalla out and ruled the kingdom. Their religion isn't known. In 686, Wilfrid was called back to York. Berthun and Andhun attacked Kent, and Berthun was killed. Sussex was then conquered by Cædwalla.
Wessex's Journey (603–685)
- 603: Augustine of Canterbury begins preaching (possibly a legend).
- 635: Cynegils of Wessex and Cwichelm of Wessex are baptized.
- 643: Cenwalh is crowned; paganism returns.
- 655: Cenwalh returns from exile, now baptized.
- 676: Centwine is crowned; paganism returns.
- 685: Cædwalla is crowned, not baptized but supports Christianity.
There's an old story that after converting Æthelberht of Kent, Augustine traveled to Wessex to convert people. In one village, locals mocked him and drove him out. The legend says Augustine eventually returned and converted them by smashing their idol. However, Bede says the West Saxons were "completely heathen" until 635 when Birinus began preaching there.
The joint kings Cynigils and Cwichelm were baptized in 635 or 636, with King Oswin of Northumbria as their godfather. Bede claims the common people were converted too. When Cynegils died in 643, his son Cenwalh became king. Bede wrote that Cenwalh "refused to embrace the mysteries of the faith." He also divorced his wife, who was the sister of the pagan King Penda of Mercia. This led to a war, and Penda expelled Cenwalh from his kingdom. Cenwalh accepted baptism while under the protection of the Christian king Anna of East Anglia. Penda was killed in 655, allowing the now-Christian Cenwalh to return to Wessex.
He was followed by his widow Seaxburh and then Æscwine; their religion is unknown. In 676, Centwine took the throne. Centwine was pagan throughout his reign, but he later gave up his throne to become a Christian monk.
Cædwalla of Wessex became king of Wessex in 685 or 686. His religion is hard to figure out. He remained unbaptized during his entire reign, but he supported Christianity. Before attacking the pagan Isle of Wight, he promised to give a quarter of the land and treasures to the Church if he won. He kept this promise by giving land to Wilfrid. He also "allowed" the heirs of Arwald, the last pagan King of Wight, to be baptized before he executed them. He is also recorded giving land to the church. Before conquering Sussex, he worked with Bishops Wilfrid and Eorcenwald to set up a church structure there.
Cædwalla was badly wounded while conquering the Isle of Wight in 686. In 688, he gave up his throne and went on a pilgrimage to Rome. He was baptized by Pope Sergius I on April 10, 689, but died 10 days later from his wounds.
His successor, Ine, issued a law code in 695 that shows he was Christian. However, one of Ine's laws set a fine for not baptizing one's children, and another for not paying church taxes. This suggests that common people were slow to adopt Christian habits willingly.
Isle of Wight's Fate (661–686)
- 661: Wulfhere of Mercia invades; islanders are forcibly baptized.
- 661: Wulfhere leaves; islanders immediately return to paganism.
- 686: Cædwalla of Wessex invades; islanders are forced to convert or leave.
The Jutes of the Isle of Wight were forcibly baptized when Wulfhere of Mercia invaded in 661. When Wulfhere returned to Mercia, he left a priest named Eoppa on Wight. But Eoppa couldn't stop the islanders from quickly returning to open paganism.
Wight remained pagan until 686 when it was invaded by the Christian-sympathizing Cædwalla of Wessex. Their pagan King Arwald was killed in battle. His heirs were baptized and then executed. Most of the pagan population was reportedly killed and replaced with Christian West Saxons. Those who remained were forced to accept baptism and the West Saxon language. The Isle of Wight was then added to the Kingdom of Wessex. King Arwald was the last English King to die a pagan.
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See also
Sources
Primary sources
Secondary sources
Accessed on 10 May 2009
