The Venerable Bede, Father of English History
Bede, Author of The Ecclesiastical History of the English People
Apr 20, 2009
Bede’s Historia Ecclesiastica tells the story of the medieval English church at a time of great change. It has been one of the most important documents for historians of this period, because of its broad scope and accuracy.
The Early Life of Bede
Bede was born in 672 or 673AD and became a monk at the monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, in North East England. Bede entered religious life at a time when Christianity had only been established in England for around a century and when enthusiasm for the religion was at a high, with monarchs and high-ranking officials eagerly embracing Christianity.
Little is known about Bede’s childhood, or his family, but the family and social connections he had, suggest that he was born to a family of some means. Bede entered monastic life at the age of seven, under Benedict Bishop and was ordained a deacon at the age of nineteen, in 692.
Bede spent most of his life within monastic communities, leaving only to carry out ecclesiastical missions, such as meeting other churchmen. He spent most of his years at Jarrow monastery, where he carried out extensive study, which was later put to use in his extensive writings.
The Writings of the Venerable Bede Including The Ecclesiastical History of the English People
Bede wrote his first work in 702, the year after he was ordained as a priest. He completed at least sixty works, mainly intended for religious students, including those who worked in the monasteries where he lived and practised his religion.
His best known work is Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum (The Ecclesiastical History of the English People), written around the year 730, which covers the history of the English Church, in five volumes, starting in 55BC. The history begins with the invasion of Julius Caesar, covers Augustine’s evanglisation of England, Viking raids and the conversions to Christianity of several counties, including Kent and Northumberland.
The books cover the Whitby Synod, hosted by Hild of Whitby and conclude with a summary of religious in Bede’s day. Most of what historians have learned of the life of Bede come from his own works, including these five volumes.
The Death of the Venerable Bede, 735AD
Bede died on 26 May 735 at the age of around 63. According to tradition, he had only just completed a manuscript with the help of another monk and died straight afterwards.
He was buried at Jarrow but his remains were later removed, possibly to Durham Cathedral, where they may have been destroyed during the Reformation.
Sources
Ward, Benedicta The Venerable Bede [Continuum, 2002]
Bede’s World, Jarrow
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