The Christianisation of Anglo Saxon England
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- čas přidán 22. 08. 2024
- When the Anglo-Saxons came to Britain, they brought with them Germanic paganism. The conversion of the Saxons to Christianity, a process which took place throughout the 7th century, was accompanied by political machinations and regular conflict.
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What a great and informative video! Can’t believe I’m seeing this days after your first ever posted video. Can’t wait to see your future work!
Thank you :) I'm looking forward to releasing some more videos soon!
It would be more accurate to title this The Christianisation of Anglo Saxon East England. The old Celtic Kingdoms of the North and West (and Wales) were already Celtic Christian. When Paulinus arrived in York he found the Anglo Saxon King had already been converted to Christianity by the Celtic King of Rheged (North West England), but Paulinus baptised him again to the Roman Church. At the Synod of Whitby in 664 it was decided that the long established Church in Northern England would shift allegiance from the Celtic to Roman Church. Bede, as an Anglo Saxon Roman Church monk thought the Celtic Christian Britons were heretics and thus the Augustine mission reintroduced Christianity, it didn't.
anglo-saxons when preachers told them about Jesus the compasionate and loving prophet who helped poor and sick people: :/
anglo-saxons when preachers told them about Jesus the 7 ft blond powerful warrior who killed 100 enemy soldiers with one swing: :O
When I think of the Dream of the Rood, it shows how Christianity was adapted to a martial culture (not forgetting of course that even the Romans were martial too). In the poem, Christ is depicted as a warrior doing battle against sin and death with the Cross being his most dutiful servant. Just like how martial cultures glorify death in battle, so Christ the warrior is depicted as dying in battle with sin on the Cross. His Resurrection is portrayed as a just reward (perhaps similar to the Norse Valhalla where warriors who fall in battle feast forever) with the Cross also glorified and turned from a plain wooden cross to one adorned with jewels.
I find this very interesting. Thank you for sharing. I can't say I completely agree with your opinion about the spread of Christianity., but that's how we learn I guess.
Really great writing and editing skills.
The Germanic tribes in continetal Europe adopted Christianity fairly quickly, even before they even crossed into Roman lands. If the Anglo-Saxons would have renounced that trend, they would have remained outlaws, possible subjets of a Crusade. To be accepted in the family of nations, you had to become Christian. To legitimize your rule over former Roman land. Even the Vikings learned that, or the Hungarians, or the Eastern Slavs (today's Russians, Ukrainians, Belorussians).
@@ekesandras1481You mean, after the Romans converted many northern European tribes by the sword. Pretty sad that it’s not even mentioned in this video.
Great video, Anglo-Saxon England is such an interesting time period of change
St Augustine of Canterbury and St Augustine of Hippo are both recognised as saints.
Correct.
However, biblically, a born again Christian is a Saint.
Born Again refers to baptism. Not all baptized go to heaven unfortunately. The form of “born again” you’re referring to sounds like a man made evangelical belief which is not found in Scripture in this form.
Except a man be born again, he shall not see the kingdom of God.@@austingill2107
Great video! Believe it or not the reason I found it useful was because I am writing a dnd campaign and honestly its much better than what I expected
I appreciate the video, its pretty good and informative. I would just wish that you gave a bit more credit to the accounts of the missionaries and saints. Could've been more lively and interesting. We have the stories of 100s of saints miraculous engagements with pagans just not brought up. The listener is left to assume Christianity spread through politics and boring conversations of right thinking and clever speech between missionaries and Kings. Which certainly doesn't reflect the history of Christianity in the British Isles as experienced and accounted by our ancestors.
Next do the islamicisation of England
🤣🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Convert or die.
Nah they tried that. British were greatly enslaved by the ottoman empire. If islamization was gonna happen then that was their chance. Now millions are actually LEAVING islam (the media never reports much on that), whilst back then it was near impossible for someone born into islam to leave...
@@StennMathis go to leicester and try and find a white person
The sources are so few and we overestimate how accurate the few we have are, I think even after Christianity was legalised around 300 most Celts who lived outside of Urban centers probably carried on worshipping the old gods ( book UnRoman Britain by Russell and Laycock) also Anglo Saxon Kings being converted would not automatically convert the whole population, this needs investigating more and to me would have been a more interesting topic.
I can´t believe there are only 3 likes for this video. It should be 3 million.
Christ conquers ☦️
Through deception and coercion.
@@Void-ez2it so much of Christianity has been captured by Liberalism
@@evolassunglasses4673 individuals and communities yes but not the witness itself. anyways its not something we didn't see coming our way we have been aware this is what will happen from the beginning
Actually Jesus releases you. Not conquered.
@@evolassunglasses4673like he wasn’t a radical liberal calling for the end of imperial rule in his homeland 🤡
You goofy lad
We'd have been better off if we stuck to our own Gods.
Why would we if nobody believes on those pagan stuff nowadays
Just when you think you have watched most things its nice to see a unique niche of history. Cheers
4:40 Your video provides an interesting perspective on the Anglo-Saxon settlement of England, but there are several critical points that I believe undermine your argument.
Firstly, genetic evidence suggests that modern Englishmen have around 40% genetic similarity with Northern Germans and Frisians. This is significant, considering that the Saxons who remained in Germany also intermarried with other groups. This high degree of genetic similarity indicates a substantial migration and settlement of Anglo-Saxons in England, not just a small warrior elite imposing their culture.
Secondly, the notion that a minority ruling class could impose Old English and Germanic paganism on a literate, civilized, and settled Romano-British Christian population is implausible. The Anglo-Saxon migrants were a tribal society with a warrior culture. They did not establish schools to teach Old English, nor did they invite the Romano-British to their pagan places of worship. Expecting the Romano-British to abandon their faith and language to adopt those of a small ruling elite is far-fetched. Historically, it is more common for a minority elite to adopt the language and religion of a more established and numerous native population, as seen with the Franks, Visigoths, and Lombards.
Historical records also indicate large-scale migrations, including women and children, not just warrior elites. While it is true that this was not a case of classic genocide or colonialism like the British in Australia, it was certainly not a mere superficial cultural change. The Anglo-Saxon migration can be compared to the Turkic invasions of Persia. Just as it is unreasonable to claim that Azeri Turks are simply Persians forced to speak Turkish by a minority ruling elite, it is similarly unreasonable to claim that the Anglo-Saxon cultural and linguistic influence was merely the imposition of a small elite.
Regarding the Turkic migrations into Iran, these involved significant numbers of people over several centuries, beginning with the Seljuks in the 11th century and continuing with various Turkic dynasties. These migrations were not just administrative changes but involved substantial population movements and settlements, leading to intermarriage and cultural assimilation over a long period.
In contrast to the centralized and administrative models of Spanish and French colonization in South America and Africa, the Turkic migrations in Iran were gradual and decentralized, leading to lasting demographic and cultural impacts. Genetic studies have shown that Azerbaijani people have mixed Turkic and native Iranian ancestries, reflecting the significant demographic influence of Turkic migrations.
Similarly, the spread of Turkic languages in Iran can be traced through historical documents, inscriptions, and the incorporation of Turkic terms into Persian records. Despite the Safavid dynasty's Turkic roots and the use of Turkish at court, the long-term presence and settlement of Turkic-speaking populations in regions like Azerbaijan led to a lasting linguistic shift.
Applying this to the Anglo-Saxon context, the substantial settlement and intermarriage with the native population, combined with the prolonged presence and cultural assimilation, would have led to a similar profound impact. The development of Anglo-Saxon culture, including paganism and the Old English language, was likely a result of this significant demographic and cultural integration, rather than a mere imposition by a small elite.
In summary, the substantial genetic, cultural, and linguistic impact of the Anglo-Saxon migrations on England points to a large-scale settlement and assimilation process, rather than the superficial cultural imposition by a minority ruling class. This perspective aligns more closely with historical patterns observed in other migrations and cultural shifts, such as the Turkic influence in Iran.
If the population of England remained largely Romano British how did Christianity die out under the Anglo Saxons? I would assume there would have been prevalent prosecution. Seems odd that they would convert to Germanic paganism. This is very different to the Celtic peoples of the isles who remained Christians.
That's a great question, I haven't looked into that. I would suppose that the spread of Germanic paganism would have been closely linked to the spread of Old English and Germanic saxon culture. I wonder how widely christianity had spread across the population of Romano-British England under the Romans also - conversion seems to be a slow process, so it could be reasonable to suggest that Christianity wasn't totally entrenched by the time the Saxons arrived (I'm sure there's some research on this, I'll have to read into it more). Its incredibly hard to say for sure either way, since records are so scarce.
Thank you for a very good video! It has been a great help in my exam.
Thank you, I'm very glad it helped! Which exam are you doing?
@@JustAnotherHistoryChannel Historical Theology and Church History at Saint Ignatios Academy. The question was on the Anglican Church and its development. This provided a solid historical framework to build upon.
At this point in time, Christianity was a wholly owned subsidiary managed by its CEO, the Pope, of the Roman empire. The church then acted in the same expansionist aggressive approach as befitting of an empire. Calling it conversion is a bit mild to say the least.
Not really, no.
By some accounts the first Anglo-Saxons were invited to Britain since the locals need help fighting off the Scots and the Anglo-Saxons knew how to use Roman military tactics. But if the Anglo-Saxons had been exposed to the Roman army before leaving Europe, they would have also been exposed to Christianity before leaving Europe.
Very interesting and informative, thank you!
first view of your channel
subscribed mid vid thx
Is there a statue of Aethelbert of Kent?? Often thought of how overlooked he is.
hi! i really like your content! could you maybe do a video about Queen Elizabeth I of England?
well done. i just love this story. always have.
Very good video sir.
You really should re read the history of Augustine's mission. He had to meet with the bishops. Bishops? The pagans had bishops?
They did not have bishops as far as I know! I don't remember saying Augustine had to meet with bishops in the video though?
I would like to see the return of the old gods, but I can't imagine that happening.
What old gods? What are the tenets of your imaginary pagan belief system? Paganism is dead, and the beliefs you associate with it are modern inventions and estimations. You have no idea what you are even wishing for.
Oh please. Augustine found when he got there that he had to deal with the local bishops. Pagans had bishops? Not actually. They were bishops of the Irish church, who had already converted most of the island. Since they were subsequently taken over by the Romans, they got written out of history.
Funny I always thought St Patrick was from Cornwall.
St. Palladius brough Christianity to Ireland, not Patrick.
I'd like to know if Britons converted en mass from Christianity to Germanic paganism as they were assimilated by the Anglo-Saxons.
I don’t know the history but I’d doubt it. The Anglo-Saxon religion didn’t proselytise or try and reason, it just simply was their religion. However Christianity requires exclusivity to Christ so a Christian would have to renounce the Anglo-Saxon Gods, it also forbids a man to marry a non-Christian bride (women just had to do what they were told) whereas as Pagan man can marry a Christian woman and the Christian woman can influence the children and husband with affection. Christianity was also politically attractive as you could forge relations with Rome and the Holy Roman Empire which would make your position more secure, these international institutions didn’t exist amongst the Anglo-Saxon religion. Also there’s the issue of a lot more textual transmission of information among Christianity whereas there was almost nothing for the Anglo-Saxons. Everything was stacked against the Anglo-Saxon religion.
They actually recently found an Anglo Saxon grave that apparently had a Briton remain inside it. Interestingly he was buried in the Saxon Pagan tradition and even had pagan artwork with him, hinting that he likely converted to Paganism as the Saxons invaded Britain.
Excellent video, I wonder if relations with the continent played a part in the appeal of conversion too. It's astounding that Christianity became so entrenched within basically a century after having been nearly wiped out. One wishes to see a world where this deceptive religion was managed to be chased away and paganism would have been able to survive and flourish.
Keep up the great work
Εξαιρετικό βίντεο (Greek), which means awesome video. Will it be too much to ask for some guidance? I'm writing a book for the British Saints to make them known to the Greek people. Apart from S. Bede's ecclesiastical history, Britannia Sancta, and Lives of British Saints (Baring, Fisher), what other books would you recommend to get some guidance for the spread of Christianity in Britain? Thanks.
Γειά σου! Thank you, I'm very glad you enjoyed the video. Your book sounds like a fascinating project - I'm at work today, but I will go back over my research notes for this video over the weekend, and see if I can find some good recommendations for you!
@@JustAnotherHistoryChannel Cheers mate! It is, indeed. A time travel in history.
@@thessalonician In terms of primary sources, there are quite a few saints lives that you could take a look at - I wrote my dissertation on the christianisation of Anglo-Saxon East Anglia, so I mainly focussed on saints and missionaries in that region.
I'd recommends looking at Saint Fursey, he was an irish missionary active in the Saxon kingdom of East Anglia, seemingly under the auspices of the king of East Anglia (Transitus Beati Fursei - a translation of the 8th century manuscript ‘Life of Saint Fursey’, trans. Oliver Rackham (Norwich, 2007).).
Saint Guthlac too is another interesting one (Felix’s Life of Saint Guthlac, ed. and trans. Bertram Colgrave (Cambridge, 1985).).
You might also want to look at the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle alongside Bede's Ecclesiastical History.
For secondary sources:
- Brown's book on Fursey is useful to read alongside the 'Life of Saint Fursey' (Brown, Michelle P., The Life of St. Fursey - what we know; why it matters (Norwich, 2001).)
- William Chaney on the importance of kingship in conversion will be useful (Chaney, William A., The Cult of Kingship in Anglo-Saxon England - The Transition from Paganism to Christianity (Manchester, 1970).)
- Dunn on the Christianisation of England is fantastic (Dunn, Marilyn, The Christianization of the Anglo-Saxons c.597-c.700 - Discourses of Life, Death and Afterlife (London, 2009).)
- This one is a little old but still great for an overview (Mayr-Harting, Henry, The Coming of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England (London, 1972).)
- Yorke's article on court conversion is specific to the aristocracy, but very interesting (Yorke, Barbara, ‘The Adaptation of the Anglo-Saxon Royal Courts to Christianity’, in Martin Carver (ed.), The Cross Goes North - Processes of Conversion in Northern Europe, AD 300-1300 (Woodbridge, 2003), pp. 243-258.)
I'm not sure how much depth you'd like to go into but these should be a good starting point! If you'd like more recommendations feel free to email me - this was my area of research so I've got lots more primary and secondary sources if you need them!
@@JustAnotherHistoryChannel many thanks mate! Appreciated at most!! I will keep it relatively simple, as my goal is to present the lives of as many Saints as possible from Anglo-Saxons, Irish, Scots, and Welsh. I will also focus on Saints that have produced scripts, and I will try to name their most important. ie Bede's ecclesiastical history. Thanks again, and I'll keep you posted.
@@thessalonician I'd love to take a look at it when you're finished, let me know how you get on!
Why is Christianity not Paganism,
while Germanic beliefs are called
Paganism?
Isn't it a fact, that it is only because of from which ever side one looks at religions, that it is "decided" which is Paganism and which is not?
As far as I am personally concerned, it is Christianity, that is the Pagan belief.
Brought to us by completely foreign desert dwellers, with completely foreign history, culture, and language.
No, I want nothing to do with Christianity!!!
new subscriber
5:10
Thank you for making this, very informative!
The Anglican Church hmmm 🤔