Figure 1.-- This Magic Latern slide shows children visiting Malmesbury Abbey, probably in the 1890s. The Abbey in Wiltshire (southwest England) is a religious site that has bracketed the history of medieval English Christianity. It is one of the few English church sites with a continual medival history from the 7th century through to the Dissolution of the Monasteries (16th century). An Irish monk, Maildubh, chose Malmesbury as a site for a hermitage, teaching local children (late-7th century). Malmesbury Abbey developed on this site and would become an importnt monastary. King Athelstan was buried in the Abbey (941). A mint was founded at the Abbey around the same time. The Abbey contained the second largest library in Europe and was considered one of the leading European seats of learning (11th century). The current Abbey was largely completed (1180). The 431 feet tall spire and tower collapsed in a storm (about 1500). The Abbey was surendered to Henry VIII (1539).
The collapse of Roman Imperial authority and the withdrawl of the Legions brought about the end of formal Christian religion in much of England (5th century AD). Anglo-Saxon invaders took control of much of the island south of Hadrian's Wall (6th century). Irobivally at the sametine, Ireland was being Chrustinized by St. Patrick and others (5th century). Re-Christianization began when Pope Gregory I sent a team of missionaries who gradually converted most of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (6th-7th centuries). Irish monks were active in Scotland and northern England. Christianity became an important cultural influence in England for the first time. Differences between Irish and Roman doctrinal issues and religious customs were decided in favor of Rome at the Synod of Whitby (663). The process of Anglo-Saxon conversions led to an explosion of both local church buildings and monasteries which were the main church instututions. Monastic communities began to become of considerable importance (7th century). We also begin to see Cathedrals. The Church was a cebter of learning. A major source on the early medieval era in England comes to us from the writing and historical accounts of the Venerable Bede who lived in the late 7th and early 8th centuries. Church institutions as they were repositories of wealth were targeted by the Vikings (9th cntury). Reforms followed under the kings of Wessex who promoted the Benedictine rule then popular on the Continent which aided Monasticism. The Norman conquest meant that Norman and French churchmen seized control of the English Chiurch (1066). Monastaries revived (10th century) and gradualy acquired extensive land holdings and wealth. Many were noted for manuscript illumination. Church scholars pomoted learming. King Alfred of Essex was also known for his interest in learing. All learning and education at the time was in the hands of the Church. King Edward I expelled all Jews (1290). A substantial part of the wealth of Britain by the late-medieval era became locked up in the monastaries. Henry VIII's disolution of the monastaries was an often brutal acyion, but by unlocking the church's wealth was a factor in stumulating sconomic growth. One impact was the development of a strong landed gentry that dominated the Commons and would be the core of resistabce to the Stuart effort to establish absolutist rule.
Anglo-Saxon Paganism
The collapse of Roman Imperial authority and the withdrawl of the Legions brought about the end of formal Christian religion in much of England (5th century AD). Anglo-Saxon invaders took control of much of the island south of Hadrian's Wall (6th century). Improbably at the same time, Ireland which had not been Christianized during thge roman era, was was being Chrustinized by St. Patrick and others (5th century).
Re-Chrisianization: Roman Catholocism
Re-Christianization began when Pope Gregory I sent a team of missionaries who gradually converted most of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (6th-7th centuries). Irish monks were active in Scotland and northern England. Christianity became an important cultural influence in England for the first time. Differences between Irish and Roman doctrinal issues and religious customs were decided in favor of Rome at the Synod of Whitby (663).
Church Establishment
We also begin to see Cathedrals. The Church was a cebter of learning. A major source on the early medieval era in England comes to us from the writing and historical accounts of the Venerable Bede who lived in the late 7th and early 8th centuries. Beade chronicled Ebgland's emnrergence from Anglo-Saxon opaganish to English Christianity, a peroopd with few other written accounts.
Monastaries
The process of Anglo-Saxon conversions led to an explosion of both local church buildings and monasteries which were the main church instututions. Monastic communities began to become of considerable importance (7th century). From 6th-century St Augustine’s, England’s first Benedictine monastery (6th century) to to its peak with Britain’s best preserved Carthusian priory (14th century). Monastic communities vried from from a single building housing only one senior and two or three junior monks or nuns, to vast complexes and estates ehich migh house hundreds. A monastery complex might consist buildings including a church, dormitory, cloister, refectory, library, balneary and infirmary. The power and influence of the Catholic church reached its zenith in England during the Hgh Middle Ages. At its peak, a great deal of the Kingdom's wealth was tied op in the monastaries. And sonr-ethiung like one in 15 of all Englishmen were churchmen of some kind (14th century). This can ce seen in the ruins King Henry VIII left of the monastaries throughhout his kingdom. –
The Vikings
Church institutions as they were repositories of wealth were targeted by the pggan and warlike Vikings (9th cntury). This began with the raid on Lindiusfare, a historiuc manastary founded by St Aidan (635).
Wessex
Reforms followed under the kings of Wessex who promoted the Benedictine rule then popular on the Continent which aided Monasticism. After King Alfred prevenbted a Viking conquest. Wessex gradually emerged as England, oncioporating the Dane lae and promotiung Christianuization. King Alfred of Essex was also known for his interest in learning.
The Normans
The Norman conquest (1066) meant that Norman and French churchmen seized control of the English Chiurch (1066). Monastaries revived (10th century) and gradualy acquired extensive land holdings and wealth. Many were noted for manuscript illumination. Church scholars pomoted learming. All learning and education at the time was in the hands of the Church.
Throughout Europe as the power of centralized states grew. Issues arose with the papacy over contol of the Church. This cenbtered on investiture--the appointmebt of bishops. The history of the Roman Papacy (1048-1257) was dominated by conflict between popes and the Holy Roman Emperor, most prominently the Investiture Controversy. This was the dispute over who would appoint bishops within the Empire. This was no small matter because it affected who would control the vast wealth of the Church. Emperor Henry IV's Walk to Canossa to meet and pay homage to Pope Gregory VII (1077) was a major turming point in European history. It essentially prevented the unification of Germany as a national state--a state tht eould have diminated Europe. But the issue was not settled and woukd arise in the developing national states, nost notably in England and France. The reign of King Henry II saw a reversion in power from the Normanized barony to the monarchical state. And Henry also sought to control the Church, not for diocttrinal matters, but because of the wealth cinyrolled by the Church. This was part of the break with and murfer vThomas Becket (1070). England began to move away from Feudalism. King Edward I expelled all Jews which often meant murdering Jews and seizing their property (1290). A substantial part of the wealth of Britain by the late-medieval era became locked up in the monastaries. This part explains Geoffrey Chaucer's hosility to friars and monks expressed in the Canterbury Tales. Chaucer's epic shows the diverse views of the Church at the time. After the Black Death Plague, many Europeans began to question the authority of the Church. Some turned to various movenents (lollardy, new monastic order, or movements exposing church corruption. The behaviour of the clergy, false church relics or abuse of indulgences, all issues which Luther wioukd rauise launching the Reformtion. Chaucer included several religious figures and overall is very critical of the Church, primarily by critizinhg chhurchmen. It is interesting to note the degree to which the Church could be criticized as long as doctrinal issues were not questioned.
Almost independent of the German Refomation was the Reformation in England, but this proved to be crucial because of the future imperial role of England. Personal rather than religious issues were to launch the Reformation in England. And it would be the very monarch the Church had awarded the title 'Defender of the Faith', Henry VIII that would make the Reformation possible in England. Henry VIII decided to divorce his wife, the Spanish princess Queen Catherine. He desired the young, vivacious and Protestant Anne Boelyn. He was furious when Pope Clement VII refused to approve the divorce. In response he rejected papal authority over the Church in England. It was Thomas Cramer that was to oversee the final break with Rome. Henry with the assistance of his new Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Caranmer founded the Anglican Church and set himself up as head of the new church (1534). Here he was aided by a new minister, Thomas Cromwell. While sparked by his personal life, the break with Rome had many advantages for Henry. Both political and economic issues were involved. One of the most important was the wealth of the Church was now at his disposal. Much of this he seized by closing the monastarires. Henry VIII's disolution of the monastaries was an often brutal action, but by unlocking the church's wealth was a factor in stumulating sconomic growth. Huge quantities of land were in the hands of the monastaries. By distributing the land and wealth, Henry essentially bought the support of the nobility and gentry which was at the time still largely loyal to the Catholic Church. It would also begin the economic moderization of England. The first tentative steps toward actual reformation was a liturgy in English and The Book of Common Prayer. Henry's lesser known and very devout Protestant son Edward VI played a major role in the success of the Reformation in England.
One impact was the development of a strong landed gentry that dominated the Commons and would be the core of resistance to the Stuart effort to establish absolutist rule.
