The status, rank, or condition of being a heathen; the state or quality of heathenism.
From 'heathen' plus the suffix '-ship' (Old English '-scipe'), which denotes a state, condition, or rank (as in 'friendship,' 'leadership,' 'membership'). This is a rare or archaic formation.
The '-ship' suffix usually denotes something positive or neutral (leadership, friendship), so using it with 'heathen' creates an almost comical formal tone that medieval writers probably used somewhat sarcastically.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.