12. When was Britain converted into Christianity? Why does the tradition of visiting Canterbury Cathedral continue to this day? How did the new faith influence the life of the Anglo-Saxons?

Christianity - religion that is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ and the belief that he was the Son of God. Christianity firstly appeared in Britain in the second century, but hadn’t gained religious supremacy on the island yet. It was in 597 that it was permanently brought to the country. The Roman Pope sent about 40 monks to Britain. A monk whose name was Augustine landed in Kent and it was the first Anglo-Saxon’s kingdom to be converted. Not far from it, in Canterbury, was built the first church and now the head of the church in England is the Archbishop of Canterbury. King Aethelbert and his court were the first to accept Christianity, but other people were attached to the old gods, so it took about a century to convert the country to the new faith.

Canterbury Cathedral has a tradition of visitor welcome that reaches back to the days of medieval pilgrimages. In 1170 Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in the Cathedral and ever since, the Cathedral has attracted thousands of pilgrims.

The spread of Christianity contributed a lot to the raise of the cultural level and development of the literacy. Many new churches and monasteries were built. They become centers of knowledge and learning, where the first schools and libraries were set up. All written literature was in Latin, so Latin was again heard in Britain.

13. Which of the Anglo-Saxon kings deserved the title of ‘Great’? What were his great accomplishments?

In 871 Vikings invaded Wessex again and were defeated by Egbert’s (802 — 839) grandson King Alfred who became known in English History as Alfred ‘The Great’(871-899). He resisted the Danes and united the various English kingdoms under one rule. A promoter of learning as well as a skillful military leader and administrator, Alfred is the only English king to be labeled (удостоенныйзвания) "the Great."

Young king Alfred strengthened Wessex by:

1. Building a fleet;

2. Creating a more effective system of military recruitment;

3. Constructing a system of fortified towns called ‘Burgs [bɜːɡz] ’ or ‘Boroughs’ [bɜːrəs];

4. Issued laws limiting the practice of blood feuds( blood feud [fjuːd] – кровнаяместь, вражда);

5. Promoted learning and literature, inviting scholars from neighboring nations and Europe to his court;

6. He learned Latin and translated some important works into English himself ( e.g. The Great's Pastoral [ˈpɑːstərəl] Care, by Pope Gregory; Consolation of Philosophy by philosopher Boethius [boʊˈiːθiəs]);

7. Made up a code of English law and started the Anglo-Saxon chronicle (Англосаксонские хроники).

8. In peace time Alfred rebuilt churches and monasteries and set up schools

After the kingdoms of Northumbria, East Anglia and Mercia had fallen to the Vikings, Wessex under Alfred was the only surviving Anglo-Saxon province. Alfred nearly succumbed to the Vikings as well, but kept his nerve and won a decisive victory at the Battle of Edington in 879.

In the Treaty [ˈtriːti] of Edington (886)the Vikings promised to leave Wessex and a part of Mercia. Vikings settled in the north-east of England – Danelaw. So the country was divided by The Great Roman Road into 2 parts – Danelaw (Northandria, East Anglia and a part of Mercia) and Wessex.Further Viking threats were kept at bay by a reorganization of military service and by a regular system of fortresses. At the same time, Alfred promoted himself as the defender of all Christian Anglo-Saxons against the pagan Viking threat and began the liberation [lɪbəˈreɪʃ(ə)n – освобождение] of neighboring areas from Viking control. He thus paved the way for the future unity of England, so that by the mid-tenth century the England was ruled as one country for the first time.