Editing Germanic peoples (section)

===Conversion to Christianity===
{{main|Christianisation of the Germanic peoples}}
[[File:Wulfila bibel.jpg|thumb|235px|Page from the {{lang|la|[[Codex Argenteus]]}} containing the [[Gothic Bible]] translated by [[Wulfila]]]]
Germanic peoples began entering the Roman Empire in large numbers at the same time that [[Christianity]] was spreading there,{{sfn|Cusack|1998|p=35}} and this connection was a major factor encouraging conversion.{{sfn|Düwel|2010a|p=356}} The East Germanic peoples, the Langobards, and the Suevi in Spain converted to [[Arianism|Arian Christianity]],{{sfn|Schäferdiek|Gschwantler|2010|p=350}} a form of Christianity that believed that God the Father was superior to God the Son.{{sfn|Düwel|2010a|p=802}} The first Germanic people to convert to Arianism were the Visigoths, at the latest in 376 when they entered the Roman Empire. This followed a longer period of missionary work by both [[Nicene Creed|Orthodox]] Christians and Arians, such as the Arian [[Wulfila]], who was made missionary bishop of the Goths in 341 and translated the [[Gothic Bible|Bible into Gothic]].{{sfn|Schäferdiek|Gschwantler|2010|pp=350–353}} The Arian Germanic peoples all eventually converted to Nicene Christianity, which had become the dominant form of Christianity within the Roman Empire; the last to convert were the Visigoths in Spain under their king [[Reccared]] in 587.{{sfn|Cusack|1998|pp=50–51}}

The areas of the Roman Empire conquered by the Franks, [[Alemanni]], and [[Baiuvarii]] were mostly Christian already, but it appears that Christianity declined there.{{sfn|Schäferdiek|Gschwantler|2010|pp=360–362}} In 496, the Frankish king [[Clovis I]] converted to Nicene Christianity. This began a period of missionizing within Frankish territory.{{sfn|Schäferdiek|Gschwantler|2010|pp=362–364}} The Anglo-Saxons gradually converted following a mission sent by Pope [[Gregory the Great]] in 595.{{sfn|Stenton|1971|pp=104–128}} In the 7th century, Frankish-supported missionary activity spread out of Gaul, led by figures of the [[Anglo-Saxon mission]] such as [[Saint Boniface]].{{sfn|Schäferdiek|Gschwantler|2010|pp=364–371}} The Saxons initially rejected Christianization,{{sfn|Padberg|2010|p=588}} but were eventually forcibly converted by [[Charlemagne]] as a result of their conquest in the [[Saxon Wars]] in 776/777.{{sfn|Padberg|2010|pp=588–589}}

While attempts to convert the Scandinavian peoples began in 831, they were mostly unsuccessful until the 10th and 11th centuries.{{sfn|Schäferdiek|Gschwantler|2010|pp=389–391}} The last Germanic people to convert were the Swedes, although the [[Geats]] had converted earlier. The pagan [[Temple at Uppsala]] seems to have continued to exist into the early 1100s.{{sfn|Schäferdiek|Gschwantler|2010|pp=401–404}}