Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People: a Standard history source. Covers 55 BC – AD 731, with 112 events in chronological order. Text license and provenance included.
| Type | Standard history |
|---|---|
| Viewpoint | Insider account |
| Years covered | 55 BC – AD 731 |
| Events | 112 events, 67 placed on the map |
| Author | Beda Venerabilis |
| Original title | Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum |
Regions: Western Europe 95 · Southern Europe 17
| Year | Place | Event | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 BC | Britain | Caesar crossed to Britain for the first time as a Roman. | Bede HE 1.2 |
| AD 45 | Claudius crossed to Britain and subjected the Orcades islands to the Roman Empire. | Bede HE 1.3 | |
| AD 45 | Isle of Wight | Vespasian, sent by Claudius, placed the Isle of Wight under Roman rule. | Bede HE 1.3 |
| AD 156 | King Lucius of Britain sent a letter to Pope Eleutherius asking to be made Christian. | Bede HE 1.4 | |
| AD 189 | Severan wall | Emperor Severus divided the land recovered in Britain from the rest by a rampart (wall). | Bede HE 1.5 |
| AD 286 – 305 | Verulamium (St Albans) | Alban and his companions were martyred during the persecution of Diocletian (Verulamium). | Bede HE 1.7 |
| AD 377 | Britain → Gaul | Under Gratian, Maximus was proclaimed emperor in Britain and crossed to Gaul with a great army. | Bede HE 1.9 |
| AD 394 | Pelagius, a Briton, arrogantly disputed God's grace. | Bede HE 1.10 | |
| AD 407 | Under Honorius, the usurper emperors Gratian and Constantine were proclaimed in Britain; the former died in Britain and the latter in Gaul. | Bede HE 1.11 | |
| AD 411 | Rome | Rome fell to the Goths, after which the Romans ended their rule over Britain. | Bede HE 1.11 |
| AD 411 – 423 | Harassed by the Scots and Picts, the Britons appealed to Rome for help; the Roman army came a second time and built a wall, but it soon collapsed and they fell into even greater distress. | Bede HE 1.12 | |
| AD 429 | Auxerre | Germanus, bishop of Auxerre, crossed to Britain with Lupus, calmed a storm at sea, and defeated the Pelagians. | Bede HE 1.17 |
| AD 429 | Verulamium (St Albans) | Germanus received relics from the tomb of Alban and left the relics of apostles and martyrs (Verulamium). | Bede HE 1.18 |
| AD 430 | The two bishops led the British army, and the enemy was driven off by the battle cry of 'Alleluia.' | Bede HE 1.20 | |
| AD 431 | Palladius was sent as the first bishop to the Scots who believed in Christ. | Bede HE 1.13 | |
| AD 446 | The Britons asked the consul Aetius for help but did not receive it. | Bede HE 1.13 | |
| AD 447 | Germanus came to Britain a second time with Severus and defeated the Pelagians. | Bede HE 1.21 | |
| AD 449 | Isle of Thanet | The Angles were invited into Britain; at first they drove off the enemy, but soon turned their swords on their allies. | Bede HE 1.15 |
| AD 450 | The Britons, under the command of the Romano-British Ambrosius Aurelianus, won their first victory over the Angles. | Bede HE 1.16 | |
| AD 565 | Iona | Columba came to Britain, converted the northern Picts, and founded a monastery at Iona (Hii). | Bede HE 3.4 |
| AD 596 | Rome | Pope Gregory the Great sent Augustine and monks to missionize the English people. | Bede HE 1.23 |
| AD 596 | Arles | A letter asking for hospitality toward the mission party was sent to the bishop of Arles. | Bede HE 1.24 |
| AD 597 | Isle of Thanet | Augustine's party landed on the Isle of Thanet and first met Ethelbert, king of Kent. | Bede HE 1.25 |
| AD 597 | Canterbury | With Ethelbert's permission, Augustine settled at Canterbury and lived and preached in the manner of the early Church. | Bede HE 1.26 |
| AD 597 | Arles | Augustine was consecrated by Aetherius, archbishop of Arles, as archbishop of the English people. | Bede HE 1.27 |
| AD 601 | Rome | Augustine sent the priest Laurentius and the monk Peter to Rome to report to the pope and receive answers to his questions. | Bede HE 1.27 |
| AD 601 | Rome | The pope sent Augustine the pallium, a letter, and reinforcements including Mellitus. | Bede HE 1.29 |
| AD 601 | Rome | The pope sent with Mellitus, who was going to Britain, a letter ordering that pagan temples not be destroyed but converted into churches. | Bede HE 1.30 |
| AD 601 | Rome | The pope sent a letter and gifts to King Ethelbert. | Bede HE 1.32 |
| AD 601 – 604 | Canterbury | Augustine repaired the church of the Saviour and founded the monastery of Saints Peter and Paul; the first abbot was Peter. | Bede HE 1.33 |
| AD 603 | Ethelfrid, king of Northumbria, defeated Aedan, king of the Scots, and drove him from English territory (Degsastan). | Bede HE 1.34 | |
| AD 603 | Augustine's Oak | Augustine summoned the British bishops and demanded unity on the questions of Easter and baptism, and showed a miracle ("Augustine's Oak"). Tradition | Bede HE 2.2 |
| AD 604 | Rome | Pope Gregory the Great died. | Bede HE 2.1 |
| AD 604 | London | Augustine consecrated Mellitus as bishop for the East Saxons and placed him in London; King Ethelbert of Kent built the church of St Paul in London. (Sæberht, king of Essex, was merely the king who ruled London.) | Bede HE 2.3 |
| AD 604 | Rochester | Augustine consecrated Justus as bishop of Rochester (church of St Andrew). | Bede HE 2.3 |
| AD 605 – 616 | Chester | Ethelfrid fought the Britons at the "City of Legions" and massacred the monks of Bangor. | Bede HE 2.2 |
| AD 605 | Canterbury | Augustine died and was buried in the church of Saints Peter and Paul. | Bede HE 2.3 |
| AD 610 | Rome | Mellitus went to Rome and attended the council of Pope Boniface. | Bede HE 2.4 |
| AD 616 | Canterbury | King Ethelbert died; his son Eadbald revived idol worship. | Bede HE 2.5 |
| AD 616 | Gaul | Mellitus and Justus left Britain and fled to Gaul. | Bede HE 2.5 |
| AD 616 | While in exile, Edwin had a vision beside Redwald, king of the East Angles, which he later used as a basis for his conversion. | Bede HE 2.12 | |
| AD 617 – 618 | Canterbury | After a vision of a rebuke by the apostle Peter, Laurentius converted Eadbald, and the king recalled Mellitus and Justus. | Bede HE 2.6 |
| AD 619 | Canterbury | Archbishop Mellitus put out a fire at Canterbury by prayer. | Bede HE 2.7 |
| AD 624 | Rome | Pope Boniface sent Justus a pallium and a letter. | Bede HE 2.8 |
| AD 625 | Canterbury | Paulinus was consecrated bishop by Justus and went north with Queen Ethelburga, wife of Edwin, king of Northumbria. | Bede HE 2.9 |
| AD 625 | Rome | Pope Boniface sent a letter to King Edwin urging him to faith (and also a letter to the queen). | Bede HE 2.10 |
| AD 626 | King Edwin survived an assassination attempt, and his daughter Eanfled was the first baptized at Pentecost (Northumbrian court). | Bede HE 2.9 | |
| AD 627 | Godmundingaham | Edwin discussed the question of conversion in a council of wise men; the chief priest Coifi himself profaned the altar of the idols. | Bede HE 2.13 |
| AD 627 | York | King Edwin and his people were baptized by Paulinus at York (wooden church of St Peter). | Bede HE 2.14 |
| AD 628 | Lincoln | Paulinus preached in the Lincoln region; Blaecca, mayor of Lincoln, and his whole household were baptized. | Bede HE 2.16 |
| AD 633 | Hatfield Chase | Edwin fell at Hatfield, killed by Cadwallon, king of the Britons, and Penda, king of Mercia. | Bede HE 2.20 |
| AD 633 | Rochester | Paulinus returned to Kent with the queen and took up the bishopric of Rochester. | Bede HE 2.20 |
| AD 633 – 634 | Osric and Eanfrith, who followed Edwin, lost their faith and their kingdom and were killed by Cadwallon. | Bede HE 3.1 | |
| AD 633 | Cnobheresburg | Fursa founded a monastery in East Anglia and had a vision. | Bede HE 3.19 |
| AD 634 | Rome | Pope Honorius sent a letter of encouragement to Edwin and a pallium to Paulinus. | Bede HE 2.17 |
| AD 634 | Heavenfield near Hexham | Oswald raised a cross and defeated Cadwallon at Heavenfield. | Bede HE 3.2 |
| AD 635 | Lindisfarne | Oswald invited a bishop from Scotland; Aidan obtained the episcopal see on the island of Lindisfarne. | Bede HE 3.3 |
| AD 635 | Dorchester-on-Thames | Birinus converted the West Saxons (Gewisse); King Cynegils was baptized, and Oswald acted as his sponsor. | Bede HE 3.7 |
| AD 640 | Rome | The pope-elect John sent the Scots a letter about the date of Easter and the Pelagian heresy. | Bede HE 2.19 |
| AD 640 | Canterbury | Earconbert, king of Kent, ordered the idols in his kingdom to be destroyed. | Bede HE 3.8 |
| AD 642 | Maserfield (Oswestry?) | Oswald fell in battle with Penda, king of Mercia, at Maserfield. | Bede HE 3.9 |
| AD 651 | Oswin, king of Deira, renowned for his piety, was killed at the command of Oswy (Oswiu). | Bede HE 3.14 | |
| AD 651 | Bamburgh | When Penda tried to burn the royal fortress of Bamburgh, through Aidan's prayer the wind turned and the fire struck the enemy. | Bede HE 3.16 |
| AD 651 | Bamburgh | Bishop Aidan died leaning against a post of a tent near the royal city. | Bede HE 3.17 |
| AD 653 | Canterbury | Honorius died; Deusdedit became archbishop of Canterbury. | Bede HE 3.20 |
| AD 653 | Peada, prince of Mercia, converted, and the Middle Angles received the faith. | Bede HE 3.21 | |
| AD 653 | Ad Murum | At the repeated urging of King Oswy, Sigebert, king of the East Saxons, took refuge and was baptized by Bishop Finan (at the royal town of Ad Murum); four priests, including Cedd, then went over to the East Saxons to preach. | Bede HE 3.22 |
| AD 655 | Oswy killed Penda at the battle of Winwaed and, as a thank-offering, dedicated the monastery site to God. | Bede HE 3.24 | |
| AD 659 – 664 | Lastingham | Cedd received land from King Ethelwald and founded the monastery of Lastingham. | Bede HE 3.23 |
| AD 664 | Whitby (Streanaeshalch) | The Synod of Whitby: the Scottish (Colman) and Roman (Wilfrid) positions contended over the date of Easter, and Oswy chose the Roman custom. | Bede HE 3.25 |
| AD 664 | Lindisfarne → Iona/Ireland | Colman, defeated, returned home, and Tuda succeeded him as bishop. | Bede HE 3.26 |
| AD 664 | Ireland | Egbert, an Englishman, lived the monastic life in Ireland. | Bede HE 3.27 |
| AD 664 | Gaul | Wilfrid was consecrated bishop of Northumbria in Gaul, and Ceadda in the land of the West Saxons. | Bede HE 3.28 |
| AD 665 | During a plague the East Saxons returned to idols, but through the zeal of Jaruman, bishop of Mercia, they were turned back. | Bede HE 3.30 | |
| AD 667 | Rome | The priest Wighard went to Rome to be consecrated archbishop and died there; the pope sent a letter. | Bede HE 3.29 |
| AD 667 | Inishbofin (Ireland) | Colman left Britain and founded two monasteries in Scottish territory (one for the Scots and one for the English). | Bede HE 4.4 |
| AD 668 – 669 | Rome | Pope Vitalian consecrated Theodore as archbishop and sent him to Britain with Hadrian. | Bede HE 4.1 |
| AD 669 | Canterbury | Theodore toured the whole country and opened a school of scripture at Canterbury, teaching Latin, Greek, and church chant. | Bede HE 4.2 |
| AD 669 | At the request of Wulfhere, king of Mercia, Theodore asked King Oswy to give Ceadda of Lastingham to Mercia as its bishop. | Bede HE 4.3 | |
| AD 673 | Hertford | The Synod of Hertford: presided over by Theodore, it laid down ten articles of church discipline. | Bede HE 4.5 |
| AD 675 | London | Winfrid was deposed; Sexwulf received the bishopric, and Earconwald became bishop of the East Saxons (London). | Bede HE 4.6 |
| AD 675 | Barking | At the nunnery of Barking, the burial place of the nuns was revealed as a heavenly light, and miracles followed. Tradition | Bede HE 4.10 |
| AD 676 | Farne Island | As a hermit on Farne Island, Cuthbert obtained a spring through prayer, and sowed seed out of season and harvested it. | Bede HE 4.28 |
| AD 679 | Trent river | Theodore reconciled Egfrid, king of Northumbria, and Æthelred, king of Mercia, at the River Trent. | Bede HE 4.21 |
| AD 680 | Hatfield Chase | Theodore presided over the Council of Hatfield, which condemned Monothelitism and confirmed the orthodox faith. | Bede HE 4.17 |
| AD 680 | Wearmouth (Sunderland) | John the Precentor, choirmaster of the papal chapel, came to Britain and taught song and liturgy at Wearmouth monastery. | Bede HE 4.18 |
| AD 680 | Whitby (Streanaeshalch) | Hilda, abbess of Whitby, died. | Bede HE 4.23 |
| AD 680 | Whitby (Streanaeshalch) | Caedmon, a herdsman at the Whitby monastery, received the gift of song from heaven. Tradition | Bede HE 4.24 |
| AD 681 | Selsey | Wilfrid converted the South Saxon kingdom to Christianity and established a monastery at Selsey. | Bede HE 4.13 |
| AD 685 | Sussex | Caedwalla of Wessex killed Æthelwealh, king of the South Saxons, and brutally ravaged his land. | Bede HE 4.15 |
| AD 685 | Nechtansmere | King Egfrid of Northumbria was defeated and killed by the Picts at Nechtansmere. | Bede HE 4.26 |
| AD 685 | York | Cuthbert received episcopal consecration at York from Theodore and others, and became bishop of Lindisfarne. | Bede HE 4.27 |
| AD 686 | Isle of Wight | Caedwalla conquered the Isle of Wight and converted its inhabitants, and had two young princes killed right after their baptism. | Bede HE 4.16 |
| AD 687 | Farne Island | Cuthbert told his fellow hermit Herebert that his death was near. | Bede HE 4.29 |
| AD 687 | Hexham | Bishop John of Hexham healed a mute person with a blessing. | Bede HE 5.2 |
| AD 688 | Rome | Caedwalla, king of the West Saxons, went to Rome, was baptized by Pope Sergius, and died soon after. | Bede HE 5.7 |
| AD 688 | Frisia | Egbert could not go on his mission to Germania; Wictbert went to Frisia but returned to Ireland without success. | Bede HE 5.9 |
| AD 690 | Canterbury | Theodore died. Berhtwald succeeded him as archbishop, and consecrated the learned Tobias as bishop of Rochester. | Bede HE 5.8 |
| AD 690 | Utrecht | Willibrord and eleven companions preached in Frisia, and two men named Hewald were martyred. | Bede HE 5.10 |
| AD 692 | Rome | Willibrord was consecrated bishop of Frisia at Rome; Suidbert was consecrated in Britain. | Bede HE 5.11 |
| AD 694 | London | Sebbi, king of the East Saxons, entered a monastery and ended his life there, and was buried in the church of St Paul in London. | Bede HE 4.11 |
| AD 695 | Ely | Queen Æthelthryth, who kept her virginity all her life, died at Ely; when her tomb was opened, her body was found not decayed. | Bede HE 4.19 |
| AD 696 | Cunningham | A man from Northumbria who had died and come back to life told of what he saw of hell and paradise. | Bede HE 5.12 |
| AD 698 | Lindisfarne | Eleven years after burial, Cuthbert's body was found not decayed, and his successor as bishop soon died. | Bede HE 4.30 |
| AD 703 | Adomnán, abbot of Iona, came to Northumbria and brought the Irish and Scottish churches to accept the Roman Easter. | Bede HE 5.15 | |
| AD 705 | Sherborne | In Wessex, Aldhelm (of Sherborne) and Daniel, and in Sussex, Eadbert and Eolla, became bishops. | Bede HE 5.18 |
| AD 709 | Rome | Coenred, king of Mercia, and Offa, king of the East Saxons, ended their lives in Rome in monastic habit. | Bede HE 5.19 |
| AD 709 | Canterbury | Albinus succeeded Hadrian as abbot, and Aca succeeded Wilfrid as bishop. | Bede HE 5.20 |
| AD 710 | Jarrow | Ceolfrith, abbot of Jarrow, sent masons to Naiton, king of the Picts, and sent him a letter on Easter and the tonsure. | Bede HE 5.21 |
| AD 716 | Iona | Through Egbert's preaching, the monks of Iona (Hii) and the monasteries they belonged to began to keep the proper Easter. | Bede HE 5.22 |
| AD 731 | Canterbury | After the death of Archbishop Berhtwald, Tatwine became archbishop of Canterbury. | Bede HE 5.23 |
| AD 731 | Jarrow | Bede finished his Ecclesiastical History of the English People at the monasteries of Wearmouth and Jarrow. | Bede HE 5.24 |