Bede, Saint (672-735)

 The Venerable Saint Bede (b. 672/3, Monkton, Jarrow, Northumbria; d. May 25, 735, Monkton) was an important Anglo-Saxon theologian and historian. He is generally best remembered for his Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, a work considered to be one of the best sources for early English history. Although his work often concerned miracles and other divine matters, Bede was careful to analyze his sources and consider their historical validity. Additionally, his work on chronology, De temporum ratione, began the practice of dating time from the birth of Christ (i.e., A.D.). His work on Scripture was widely respected during his lifetime and throughout the Middle Ages. He contributed to the Carolingian Renaissance (the brief revival of classical thought under Charlemagne) through his pupils, who trained many in the court of the Holy Roman Empire.

Bibliography

Works by the Author

Bede. The Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation. London: J.M. Dent & Company, 1935.

Bede. Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Edited by J. A. Giles. London: George Bell & Sons, 1894.

Bede. Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company, 1954.

Bede. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Translated by G. N. Garmonsway. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company, 1929.

Bede. Opera Historica. 2 vols. Translated by J. E. King. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1930.

Source

The biographical material about the author originally appeared on The Goodrich Room: Interactive Tour website.