CHRISTIANITY IN THE ANGLO-SAXON PERIOD

Christianity was introduced into Britain by the Romans but disappeared with the
invasions of the pagan Anglo-Saxons. At the end of the sixth century Pope Gregory
the Great (590-604) sent a monk named Augustine to convert the Anglo-Saxons.
Augustine built a church in Canterbury, where he later became the first archbishop.
The Roman Britons had been driven to the western part of England where they
maintained the Christian faith. One of them, Saint Patrick, organized a church among
the Celts of Ireland. Gradually the Celtic form of Christianity spread around the outer
edges of the British Isles.
The Celtic reconversion of Britain saw churches and monasteries set up in northern
England, where monks copied old manuscripts and wrote new ones.
These peaceful Christian invasions gradually converted the Anglo-Saxons to
Christianity.

WHY DID WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR CLAIM THE THRONE?

The king of England, the Anglo-Saxon Edward the Confessor (William the Conqueror’s
cousin), in 1051 visited Normandy and promised William to name him his heir.
In 1064, in Normandy, William captured Harold Godwin (Godwinson) and Harold
promised that he would support William in becoming the next king of England after
Edward’s death.
After Edward’s death in 1066, Harold was named king of England by the Anglo-Saxons.
From then on, William called Harold Godwin the “Oathbreaker”.