Cultural assimilation in the Anglo-Saxon royal genealogies
Craig R. Davis
After the conversion of various Anglo-Saxon royal houses to Christianity in seventh century, mythology late pagan cults which had supported their sovereignty was supplanted, but not utterly destroyed, by sacred history Bible. Myths old gods sired founders current dynasties proved uniquely adaptive. These foundation myths were preserved at a secondary stratum new ideological order, that body dynastic pseudo-history and heroic legend important subordinate authoritative canon Christian scripture. As J. M. Wallace-Hadrill suggested, nascent needed legitimizing ancestors as much after, before, conversion. And if they could no longer have gods, would settle for men same name.
Anglo-Saxon England