Ecclesiastical History of the English People

The “Ecclesiastical History of the English People” is considered one of the most important documents of Anglo-Saxon history and was written by Saint Bede, or Bede the Venerable, an English Benedictine monk and well-known scholar who was born around 672 AD. The work, which begins as a general history of England from the time of Julius Caesar’s invasion in 55 BC, details the rise of Christianity in England and becomes a detailed study of the different Christian churches and leaders of England. The history focuses chiefly on the conflict between Roman and Celtic Christianity from the introduction of Christianity to the Anglo-Saxon’s by Augustine of Canterbury in 597 AD until the time of the book’s completion in approximately 731 AD. In drawing upon numerous primary and secondary resources, Saint Bede creates not only an important and often accurate historical document, but also advances his own views on politics and religion, which was more supportive of the Roman church leaders than the Anglo-Saxons. One of the most important works of both English and Christian history, the “Ecclesiastical History of the English People” is a must read for scholars or students of either historical discipline. This edition follows the translation of J. A. Giles.