Why exactly did the pagans (Slavs, the Norse, Mongols) abandon the old gods and took up the cross and the crescent?
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Many, many reasons. One I'll give, is that it was often politically expedient. If your more powerful neighbour has converted, then you'd be safer converting.
Conversion wouldn't have been such a big deal to many pagans. They would still continue to worship the old gods alongside Jesus. And it would be apparent to your pagan king that Jesus, being the god of the old Roman Empire and all the most sophisticated realms in Europe, was one badass deity who you'd want on your side going into battle.
Hmmm... interesting. Would be funny to see a Viking yelling "Smite thee enemies in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ! Arise, the sons of Odin!"
This.
More specifically, the christians had literate priests who were willing to work for royal administrators, which is a huge benefit.
Christianity essentially triumphed because of paperwork.
organized religion, despite its many flaws, answered a lot of questions and answered them very assuredly, it gave peace of mind, it promised an afterlife(which many many pagan religions lack, though not all) it was an alternative to some of the more war-like religions which terrified many people who would be subjected to barbarism and raids because of the militant raiding pagans, Many people thought Christianity would usher in peace since it was taking over many many peoples to the west. I mean it didn't. but it's easy to think that way when you hear all the good stuff a missionary tells you about
If you've ever read Anglo-Saxon literature, it really does come off this way.
It's true that conversion of an entire realm was based on one decision of a given ruler. Quite often this looked like a tender, priests from different creeds would come and present their faiths, aswer some questions, and then the ruler would announce his decision.
There were various reasons for conversion. However, unless there was an external pressure, the most important was that the new faith gave the ruler and his family divine legitimacy. One of the flaws of being a pagan king was that in paganism power was ripe for the taking for anyone strong enough to do it. As such it was extremely difficult to establish stable succession. Abrahamic faith made you and your heirs predestined to rule by God himself.
Other factors included: safeguard against invasion by a stronger neighbor, marriage conditions, willingness to acquire literate administrators.
The conversion often involved just the ruler himself and his closest circle. It often took a hundred years or so to convert the landed aristocracy, while the common folk clung to the old gods for many centuries to come.
There were various reasons for conversion. However, unless there was an external pressure, the most important was that the new faith gave the ruler and his family divine legitimacy. One of the flaws of being a pagan king was that in paganism power was ripe for the taking for anyone strong enough to do it. As such it was extremely difficult to establish stable succession. Abrahamic faith made you and your heirs predestined to rule by God himself.
Other factors included: safeguard against invasion by a stronger neighbor, marriage conditions, willingness to acquire literate administrators.
The conversion often involved just the ruler himself and his closest circle. It often took a hundred years or so to convert the landed aristocracy, while the common folk clung to the old gods for many centuries to come.
You don't really think that do you? These heavily tribal and divided peoples all bowed to one dude's decision? These kings used Christianity as a basis for centralization, it wasn't centralized enough at first to simply shove conversion down all the nobles(or chieftains or w/e) throats.
it turned out the pagans were christians all along, they celebrated the summer equinox just like the christians, they worshipped trees just like the christians, they worshipped they same holy places as the christians,...
That's exactly how it looked like. There are ample historical records that show it. Russia for example did not go Muslim because it turned out during the debate that Vladimir I and his crew would have to abandon alcohol. That was a big nono despite the advantage of being allowed to keep several wives.
or, you know, most nobles would feel that exact same way so he wouldn't convert to that due to that reason. That entire entry about Vladimir's conversion isn't exactly the highest quality material. It's not entirely true but definitely not false either if you know what I mean. Exaggerations and such
The early church (50-300 AD) attracted many converts because it had equal rights for woman; pacifist and tried to stop many pagan activities such as infanticide by searching rubbish tips etc for babies (normally girls) and taken them in. It was only when Christianity was made the state religion thatit had to conform to Greco-Roman ideals including the superiority of men and war etc (beforehand, a soldier who converted to Christianity had to give up his soldiering career).
Also, the martyrs of Christianity attracted followers as people began to see the faith and self sacrifice of the executed on behalf of their 'Messiah'. Their faith was inspirational. The Cult of Saints evolved out of Christians in the fourth and fifth centuries who were no longer being persecuted wanting to stay in touch with the early martyrs and distinguish themselves with the decadent pagans around them.
Also, the martyrs of Christianity attracted followers as people began to see the faith and self sacrifice of the executed on behalf of their 'Messiah'. Their faith was inspirational. The Cult of Saints evolved out of Christians in the fourth and fifth centuries who were no longer being persecuted wanting to stay in touch with the early martyrs and distinguish themselves with the decadent pagans around them.
We're not talking about Early Christianity unfortunately
Mediterranean cultures converted for a whole slew of different reasons.
The Mongols at least seem to have converted (some to Islam, some to varieties of Christianity like Nestorianism, and others to other faiths such as Buddhism) to please their favourite wives. At least several are described as doing so for that reason.
Name me one pagan faith concurrent with early-to-mid-medieval Christianity that did not have an afterlife. Please, I'm dying to know.
Also, it is simply laughable to suggest that Christianity, in the time-frame we are talking about, was any less warlike than any given pagan religion. If anything, it was more warlike and less egalitarian (property ownership by woman, divorce laws, etc).
Alright, lack of a suitable non-purgatory afterlife, how about that?
And it has nothing to do with reality, perception ruled, to many of the people they only heard about a Huge empire way over in that direction which followed a "one true god" had a great many words writing in detail about this God and his religion, and Priests who would try at least to provide menial public services and sermons to help soothe people.
Charlemagne helped cause he was brutal as can be and converted people by the sword.
Christianity isn't better, but I suspect to many people who converted from the old ways, it APPEARED better, ya dig?
They did however lacked the concept of heaven. Things like Norse Valhalla or Slavic Navia are either constructs from the latest stages of Paganism (already under heavy Christian influence) or are even later erudite inventions, since they first appear in sources written long after the conversion.
It rather sucked to be a soul after death according to original pagan beliefs. Souls of the deceased were doomed to wander aimlessly on the edges of the material world. They envied the living so they were mean, even dangerous. Therefore corpses were often mutilated at funerals to prevent the soul from exiting the rotting body and disturbing the living as ghosts, vampires or other monstrosities.
People nowadays tend to forget how revolutionary the abrahamic faiths were.
But the way I see it, in many places (like Rus or Yakutia) Christianity merged with Paganism, which is why many people there still revere pagan spirits or shamans.