The conversion of the Germanic peoples began with the conversion of the Germanic nobility, who were expected to impose their new faith on the general population. This expectation was consistent with the sacral position of the king in Germanic paganism: the king is charged with interacting with the divine on behalf of his people.
The process of converting the Germanic peoples began with the nobility's adoption of a new faith, which they were expected to impose upon the common folk. This expectation was rooted in the sacred authority of the king in pre-Christian Germanic society, where he served as a mediator between the divine and his people.