The Conversion of Britain: Religion, Politics and Society in Britain, 600-800

by Yorke,Barbara

• ISBN13: 9780582772922
• ISBN10: 0582772923
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2006-06-29
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This is the story of Britain's emergence from the Dark Ages and conversion from the paganism of the Celts and Anglo-Saxons to the monotheism of Christianity. Plenty of coverage of the Celts, Picts and Pagans - very popular topics Covers all of Britain not just England Author is one of the most established authorities on this period of history Will be bought by students studying religious history and early medieval history One of the titles launching the new LongmanReligion, Politics and Society in Britainseries which examines religion in Britain from pre-Christian times to the end of the 20th century

Author Biography

Barbara Yorke is a Professor of Early Medieval History at King Alfred’s College, Winchester.

Table of Contents

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	(32)
Written sources for the study of early medieval Britain	5	(10)
Gildas, Adomnan and Bede	15	(7)
Inscriptions and Pictish symbols	22	(3)
Conclusion	25	(1)
A postscript on names	26	(7)
1 Politics and Society in Britain c.600-800	33	(65)
The British	33	(12)
The Picts	45	(5)
The Irish	50	(6)
The Anglo-Saxons	56	(5)
Overlordship and warfare in early medieval Britain	61	(9)
Economy and society	70	(5)
Taxation and trade	75	(3)
Ethnic identity	78	(20)
2 The Conversion of Britain to Christianity	98	(51)
Pre-Christian religion in early medieval Britain	98	(11)
The Conversion of the British and Irish	109	(5)
The church in Dal Riata	114	(1)
The issues of a 'Celtic' church and the dating of Easter	115	(3)
The British church and the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons	118	(4)
The conversion of the Anglo-Saxons	122	(6)
The conversion of the Picts	128	(5)
Conclusion	133	(16)
3 The Organisation and Culture of the Church in Early Medieval Britain	149	(63)
Bishoprics	149	(7)
Monasticism and religious communities	156	(5)
Founders and patrons of religious communities	161	(10)
Religious communities and pastoral care	171	(5)
Ecclesiastical culture	176	(6)
Lay culture in the religious communities	182	(6)
The cult of saints	188	(8)
Conclusion	196	(16)
4 Religion, Politics and Society in Early Medieval Britain	212	(68)
Death and burial	212	(7)
Traditional customs and Christian practices	219	(4)
Marriage and sex	223	(5)
Penance and the expiation of sin	228	(3)
War and peace	231	(5)
Kingship and politics	236	(8)
The disadvantaged: the poor, slaves and women	244	(4)
Christian 'magic': medicine and protection	248	(8)
Conclusion	256	(13)
Conclusion	269	(11)
Appendices:
(1) Timeline of main events and people	280	(4)
(2) Pictish kings from king lists P and Q	284	(1)
(3) Kings of Northumbria from /Ethelfrith to Eardwulf	285	(1)
(4) Kings of Mercia from Penda to Coenwulf	286	(1)
(5) The Union of the Bernician and Deiran royal houses through marriage	287	(1)
(6) Two rival theories for the descent of the Pictish kings Constantine (789-820) and Onuist, the sons of Uurguist/Fergus	288	(2)
Bibliography	290	(35)
Index	325