  the ecclesiastical history of the english people is the english name for the work in latin by bede, historia ecclesiastica gentis anglorum. it is the history of the christian churches in england and of england generally; its main focus is on the conflict between roman and celtic christianity. it is considered to be one of the most important original references on anglo-saxon history and has played a key role in the development of an english national identity. it is believed to have been completed in 731, when bede was approximately 59 years old. ==overview== bede's best-known work is the historia ecclesiastica gentis anglorum, or an ecclesiastical history of the english people. completed in about 731, the first of the five books begins with some geographical background, and then sketches the history of england, beginning with caesar's invasion in 55 bc. a brief account of christianity in roman britain, including the martyrdom of st alban, is followed by the story of augustine's mission to england in 597, which brought christianity to the anglo-saxons.campbell "bede" oxford dictionary of national biography the second book begins with the death of gregory the great in 604, and follows the further progress of christianity in kent and the first attempts to evangelise northumbria. these encountered a setback when penda, the pagan king of mercia, killed the newly christian edwin of northumbria at the battle of hatfield chase in about 632. the setback was temporary, and the third book recounts the growth of christianity in northumbria under kings oswald and oswy. the climax of the third book is the account of the council of whitby, traditionally seen as a major turning point in english history. the fourth book begins with the consecration of theodore as archbishop of canterbury, and recounts wilfrid's efforts to bring christianity to the kingdom of sussex. the fifth book brings the story up to bede's day, and includes an account of missionary work in frisia, and of the conflict with the british church over the correct dating of easter. bede wrote a preface for the work, in which he dedicates it to ceolwulf, king of northumbria.bede, "preface", historia ecclesiastica, p.&nbsp;41. the preface mentions that ceolwulf received an earlier draft of the book; presumably ceolwulf knew enough latin to underst
8th-century_Christian_texts History_of_Christianity_texts Latin_texts_of_Anglo-Saxon_England Sources_on_Germanic_paganism