The First Archbishop of Canterbury: Augustine's Mission to England

The Archbishop of Canterbury originated from Pope Gregory I's mission to convert Anglo-Saxon England. In 597 AD, Augustine of Canterbury was sent to Kent, where King Aethelbert—married to Christian princess Bertha—granted land in Canterbury for the church. Augustine became the first Archbishop, establishing Christianity's foothold. Earlier, Christianity had declined after Roman withdrawal in 410 AD. The first five archbishops (Augustine, Laurence, Mellitus, Justus, Honorius) were Gregorian missionaries. Theodore of Tarsus, arriving in 669 AD, was the most influential early archbishop, reforming the church at the Synod of Hertford (673 AD) and founding a seminary at Canterbury teaching scripture, poetry, astronomy, and calendar calculation. After Theodore, archbishops focused on spreading Christianity and administration, with little controversy until after 1000 AD.