Anglo-Saxon Religion - An Introduction for Kids

Before the Anglo-Saxons invaded, the people of Britain were primarily Christians. The Romans, who ruled Britain at this time as part of the Roman Empire, had brought Christianity to the country and converted the majority of the people here.

But this was soon to change when the Roman Empire began to crumble and the Roman army abandoned Britain (after hundreds of years occupying the country), leaving its people vulnerable to attack. The Anglo-Saxon tribes seized their opportunity to invade Britain and brought their own religion with them.

The Anglo-Saxons were not Christians, they were Pagans. They worshipped many different gods (many of them were German versions of the same gods worshipped by the Vikings in Scandinavia), such as Woden, Thunor, Frige and more.

The Anglo-Saxons continued Pagan worship for many years, until the Pope in Rome decided to send Christian Monks over to Britain. The Monks spread the word about Christian religion and it wasn’t long before they had converted the Anglo-Saxons.

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Further Reading:

• Converting the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity

• The Anglo-Saxon Gods - A Handy Guide for Kids

• Anglo-Saxons - A Brief Introduction