Augustine's mission meets the king of Kent
About this date: The arrival belongs to 597. Bede writes the surviving narrative more than a century later.
A mission sent from Rome reaches Kent and receives permission to preach. Bede describes a meeting with Æthelberht and the subsequent establishment of the missionaries at Canterbury.
Historical context
Bertha's Christian presence at court precedes the newcomers. The episode concerns a mission to an Anglo-Saxon kingdom, not the first arrival of Christianity anywhere in Britain.
Key points
- The initial meeting takes place on Thanet.
- Royal permission provides room for preaching and residence.
- Existing Christian connections form part of the setting.
People
- Augustine of Canterbury
- Æthelberht of Kent
- Bertha of Kent
- Gregory the Great
Sources and further reading
- Ecclesiastical History: arrival in Kent
Meeting with Æthelberht and reception of the mission.