A History of the English Church and People Medieval Period

Bede Bede is the author of “A History of the English Church and People” 5th century, the Roman Empire abandoned Britain. Roman missionaries taught reading and writing as they preached Christianity. When Rome withdrew, Britain was isolated. Britain was threatened by invasion from without, and strife within.

… Monasteries, particularly in Ireland, kept knowledge alive during these dark times. Much of what we know about England before A.D. 700 is based on the work of Bede – a monk. Bede was the most learned scholar of his day. He is known as the father of English history. In this work, Bede describes the conquest of Britain by the Anglo-Saxon tribes after the departure of the Romans.

More Bede… Following his death, Bede’s history was translated from Latin into English for King Alfred. Bede became known as “The Venerable (respected) Bede.” At the monastery, Bede has access to books. Most people during this time period were illiterate. His writing on the situation of Britain and Ireland: Earliest Inhabitants – Britain, formerly known as Albion, is an island in the ocean.

Yes, more Bede… It lies a considerable distance from Germany, Gaul, and Spain. Britain is rich in grain and timber. It has good pasturage for cattle and draft animals. Vocabulary: Promontories – peaks of high land sticking out into the water Cultivated: Grown. Innumerable: Too many to count.

Bede all period… Open your books to page 85 – Find two facts on the page. Identify one claim for which you might need more evidence. The original inhabitants of the island were the Britons, from whom it takes its name, and who, according to tradition, crossed into Britain from Armorica. They found the notion of the Scots, from whom they asked permission to settle, but their request was refused.

Important Geography… Armenia: region between the Black and the Caspian seas. Macedonia: region in the eastern Mediterranean, divided among Greece, Yugoslavia, and Bulgaria. Armorica: Brittany, France. Scythia: ancient region in Southeastern Europe.