The Ecclesiastical History of the English People; The Greater Chronicle; Bede's Letter to Egbert
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Author Description
Starting with the invasion of Julius Caesar in the fifth century, Bede recorded the history of the English up to his own day in 731 A.D. A scholarly monk working in the north-east of England, Bede wrote the five books of his history in Latin. The Ecclesiastical History is his most famous work, and this edition provides the authoritative Colgrave translation, as well as a new translation of the Greater Chronicle, never before published in English. His Letter to Egbert gives his final reflections on the English Church just before his death. This is the only edition to include all three texts, and they are illuminated further by a detailed introduction and explanatory notes.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
Bede investigates the development of the English Church and the political unification of the English people from the Roman occupation to the eighth century. As a Northumbrian monk, Bede utilized a vast network of correspondents and monastic archives to construct a chronological narrative that frames the conversion of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms as a divine historical progression. His work serves as the primary framework for understanding the transition of Britain from paganism to a unified Christian identity.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A comprehensive history of the English Church and state from 55 B.C. to 731 A.D.
- The Greater Chronicle, providing a broader temporal context for the history of the world.
- Bede's Letter to Egbert, detailing his final ecclesiastical critiques and observations.
- Scholarly apparatus including an introduction and explanatory notes on the Colgrave translation.
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a secular history independent of ecclesiastical influence.
- The narrative focus is heavily weighted toward the Northumbrian perspective and the interests of the Church.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Historians and scholars regard this collection as the foundational text for the study of Anglo-Saxon England. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the necessity of the provided notes to navigate the complex theological and political references.
Page Count:
496
Publication Date:
1999-05-13
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192838660
ISBN-13:
9780192838667
Religion
History
Christianity
British History
Primary Source
Great Britain
Church History