The Britain of 600-800 AD was populated by four distinct peoples; the British, Picts, Irish and Anglo-Saxons. They spoke 3 different languages, Gaelic, Brittonic and Old English, and lived in a diverse cultural environment. In 600 the British and the Irish were already Christians. In contrast the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons and Picts occurred somewhat later, at the end of the 6th and during the 7th century. Religion was one of the ways through which cultural difference was expressed, and the rulers of different areas of Britain dictated the nature of the dominant religion in areas under their control.
This book uses the Conversion and the Christianisation of the different peoples of Britain as a framework through which to explore the workings of their political systems and the structures of their society. Because Christianity adapted to and affected the existing religious beliefs and social norms wherever it was introduced, it’s the perfect medium through which to study various aspects of society that are difficult to study by any other means.
Author(s): Barbara Yorke
Series: Religion, Politics and Society in Britain
Publisher: Pearson Education
Year: 2006
Language: English
Pages: XVI+334
City: Harlow
Series editor’s preface vii
Acknowledgements ix
List of Abbreviations xi
Map 1: Britain and its neighbours c. 600 xiv
Map 2: The Kingdoms of Britain c. 800 xv
Introduction 1
Written sources for the study of early medieval Britain 5
Gildas, Adomnán and Bede 15
Inscriptions and Pictish symbols 22
Conclusion 25
A postscript on names 26
1. Politics and Society in Britain c.600–800 33
The British 33
The Picts 45
The Irish 50
The Anglo-Saxons 56
Overlordship and warfare in early medieval Britain 61
Economy and society 70
Taxation and trade 75
Ethnic identity 78
2. The Conversion of Britain to Christianity 98
Pre-Christian religion in early medieval Britain 98
The Conversion of the British and Irish 109
The church in Dál Riata 114
The issues of a 'Celtic' church and the dating of Easter 115
The British church and the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons 118
The conversion of the Anglo-Saxons 122
The conversion of the Picts 128
Conclusion 133
3. The Organisation and Culture of the Church in Early Medieval Britain 149
Bishoprics 149
Monasticism and religious communities 156
Founders and patrons of religious communities 161
Religious communities and pastoral care 171
Ecclesiastical culture 176
Lay culture in the religious communities 182
The cult of saints 188
Conclusion 196
4. Religion, Politics and Society in Early Medieval Britain 212
Death and burial 212
Traditional customs and Christian practices 219
Marriage and sex 223
Penance and the expiation of sin 228
War and peace 231
Kingship and politics 236
The disadvantaged: the poor, slaves and women 244
Christian 'magic': medicine and protection 248
Conclusion 256
Conclusion 269
Appendices:
(1) Timeline of main events and people 280
(2) Pictish kings from king lists P and Q 284
(3) Kings of Northumbria from Æthelfrith to Eardwulf 285
(4) Kings of Mercia from Penda to Coenwulf 286
(5) The Union of the Bernician and Deiran royal houses through marriage 287
(6) Two rival theories for the descent of the Pictish kings Constantine (789-820) and Onuist, the sons of Uurguist/Fergus 288
Bibliography 290
Index 325
