Women and Religion
By: Alex Engleman
Kallie Krammes
Tanner Faulkenburg
Jessica Spalding
Introduction
 We will be focusing on
 women in the Anglo-Saxon times
 the religion of Anglo-Saxon
 the importance of Thor
 These are the main points to know
throughout our presentation
Women in Anglo-Saxon
Times
 With all the wars, society seemed to be
male dominated and women were
believed to have a small role
 They were in charge of cooking,
cleaning, caring for the children and
working while the husband was home
and away at war
Women in Anglo-Saxon
Times
 Large emphasis on warfare throughout
the culture
 A short list of the wars:
Byzantine-Arab Wars (629-1169)
Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars (680–1364)
Byzantine-Seljuk wars (1064–1308)
Byzantine-Ottoman wars (1299–1453)
Bulgarian-Latin Wars (1204-1261)
Bulgarian-Hungarian Wars (9–14th
centuries)
Bulgarian-Serbian Wars (839 - 1330)
Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars (1354–1422)
Mongol invasion of Europe (1223–1284)
Saxon Wars - (772-804)
Reconquista (718-1492)
Hussite Wars (1420–1434)
Hundred Years' War (1337–1453)
Wars of the Roses (1455–1487)
Crusades (1096–1291)
Women in Anglo-Saxon
Times
 Women in fact did have rights in the
society
 They could own things, sell things and
make money
 However, after the Norman Conquest of
1066, the rights of women became much
more strict
 Later on, they were allowed to voice their
opinion by writing poems and novels
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Women in Anglo-Saxon
Times
 Proof has been found of women having
rights, stated in the English Common
Law
 Wills from medieval times have shown
instances of women inheriting and
owning property
 Once married, women still owned the
property they were given, but everything
else became property to the man
Women in Anglo-Saxon
Times
 In some areas, a man had to offer a
woman a substantial gift called a
morgengifu, usually this was money or
land
 Morgengifu: the morning-gift
Women in Anglo-Saxon
Times
 The woman was given total control over
this gift, not her family or her husband
 She was able to give it away, sell it or do
with it as she wanted
Women in Anglo-Saxon
Times
 Women joined religious communities like
a monastery or a nunnery.
 Some women from noble families called
Abbesses became very powerful and
took control of Double houses, which
include Monasteries and Nunneries.
Women in Anglo-Saxon
Times
 Both female and male communities were
governed by the abbess.
Women in Anglo-Saxon
Times
 One of the most famous women was
Hild, the abesses of Whitby.
 Hilda of Whitby or Hild of Whitby was
a Christian saint, and the
founding abbess of
the monastery at Whitby. An important
figure in the conversion
of England to Christianity, she was
abbess at several monasteries and
recognized for the wisdom that drew
kings to her for advice.
Hild also created a large
library and made Whitby into
a center for learning.
Fast Facts
 Women in Anglo-Saxon England were
near equal companions to the males in
their lives, such as husbands and
brothers, much more than in any other
era before modern time.
 The almost universal adoption of
Christianity in the late seventh century
unites Britain under a common ethical
code.
Anglo-Saxon Religion
 Strong Christianity influence
 By 650A.D., almost all converted to
Christianity
 Old religion (gods and warriors) still was
around
 Many still followed their pagan beliefs
 applied religion to everyday lives
Anglo-Saxon Religion
 Dark and fatalistic
religion
 Brought from AngloSaxons from
Germany
 Lot in common with
Norse Mythology
 overall term for the
myths, legends and
beliefs about
supernatural beings
of Norse pagans.
 Flourished prior to the
Christianization of
Scandinavian, during
the Early Middle Ages
Norse Gods
 Important Norse God was Odin
 God of Death, poetry, and magic
 Other Norse Gods and Goddesses
 Vali
 God of revenge
 Eir
 Goddess of healing
 Baldr
 God of beauty, peace, innocence, and rebirth
 Dagr
 God of the daytime
Odin
 Anglo- Saxon name for Odin
was Woden
 How we received
Wednesday, “Woden’s
Day”
 Helped humans communicate
with spirits
 Was associated with burial
rites and estatic trances
 Important for poetry and
religious mysteries
 He played a very important
role in lives of those who
produced poetry yet
maintained a somber,
brooding outlook on life
 Associated with war
 Ruler of Asgard
 Had many sons
 Most famous is Thor
Anglo-Saxon Gods and
Heroes
 Anglo-Saxon deity named Thunor was
essentially the same as the God Thor.
 Thunor was the norse god of thunder and
lighting.
Thunor
 The signs of Thunor were a hammer and
the twisted cross we call the Swastika.
 Thunor’s name still survives
 Thursday, “Thors day”.
Dragon
 Another significant figure in Anglo-Saxon
mythology is the dragon
 protector of treasure
 Scholars suggest that the fiery dragon
should be seen as both a personification
of “Death the Devourer” and as the
guardian of the grave mound (where
warrior ashes and treasure remain).
Virtues
 The Anglo-Saxon religion was more
concerned with ethics though than
mysticism they showed this through
virtues such as…




Bravery
Loyalty
Generosity
Friendship.
Conclusion
 In conclusion, be sure you know the
importance of the Anglo-Saxon women
and the religion of their time.