The Venerable Bede (673 ad - 735 ad)

St Bede - also known as the Venerable Bede - is widely regarded as the greatest of all the Anglo-Saxon scholars. He wrote around forty books mainly dealing with theology and history.

Bede was probably born in Monkton, Durham. Nothing is known of his family background. At the age of seven he was entrusted to the care of Benedict Biscop, who is 674 AD had founded the monastery of St. Peter at Wearmouth. In 682 AD, Bede moved the monastery at Jarrow, where he spent the rest of his life. By the age of 19 he had become a deacon and was promoted to priest at 30.

His scholarship covered a huge range of subjects, including commentaries on the Bible, observations of nature, music and poetry. His most famous work, which is a key source for the

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understanding of early British history and the arrival of Christianity, is 'Historia Ecclestiastica Gentis Anglorum' or 'The Ecclesiastical History of the English People' which was completed in 731 AD. It is the first work of history in which the AD system of dating is used.

Bede died in his cell at the monastery in May 735 AD. »

Assignments

1) Translate the text paying special attention to historical terminology.

2) Give Ukrainian equivalents to the following:

legendary; references; probably; scholarship; famous; priest; medieval; to defeat; to entrust; to state;

3) Give definitions to the following:

system of dating; cell; collection; venerable; theology; huge range of subjects;

4) Answer the questions on the text:

- Where did Arthur defeat the Saxons?

- Where is Arthur first characterised?

- When will,according to the legend, Arthur return?

- Where was Bede born?

- When was 'The Ecclesiastical History of the English People' completed?

5) Put questions to the underlined words in the text.

6) Speak on this issue adding extra information from other sources.

Interactive content:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/archaeology/excavations_techniques/launch_gms_dig_deeper.shtml

http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/arthmenu.htm

http://www.caerleon.net/history/arthur

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Unit 4 Alfred the Great (849 ad - 899 ad)

This theme is dealt with in a lot of historical sources. The following citation is to illustrate this: «King of the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex and one of the outstanding figures of English history, as much for his social and educational reforms as for his military successes against the Danes. He is the only English monarch known as 'the Great'.

Alfred was born at Wantage in Oxfordshire in 849, fourth or fifth son of Aethelwulf, king of the West Saxons. Following the wishes of their father, the sons succeeded to the kingship in turn. At a time when the country was under threat from Danish raids, this was aimed at preventing a child inheriting the throne with the related weaknesses in leadership. In 870 the Danes attacked the only remaining independent Anglo-Saxon kingdom, Wessex, whose forces were commanded by Alfred's older brother, King Aethelred and Alfred himself.

In 871, Alfred defeated the Danes at the Battle of Ashdown in Berkshire. The following year, he succeeded his brother as king. Despite his success at Ashdown, the Danes continued to devastate Wessex and Alfred was forced to withdraw to the Somerset marshes, where he continued guerrilla warfare against his enemies. In 878, he again defeated the Danes in the Battle of Edington. They made peace and Guthrum, their king, was baptised with Alfred as his sponsor. In 886, Alfred negotiated a treaty with the Danes. England was divided, with the north and the east (between the Rivers Thames and Tees) declared to be Danish territory - later known as the 'Danelaw'. Alfred therefore gained control of areas of West Mercia and Kent which had been beyond the boundaries of Wessex.

Alfred built up the defences of his kingdom to ensure that it was not threatened by the Danes again. He reorganised his army and built a series of well-defended settlements across southern England. He also established a navy for use against the

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Danish raiders who continued to harass the coast.

As an administrator Alfred advocated justice and order and established a code of laws and a reformed coinage. He had a strong belief in the importance of education and learnt Latin in his late thirties. He then arranged, and himself took part in, the translation of books from Latin to Anglo-Saxon.

By the 890s, Alfred's charters and coinage were referring to him as 'king of the English'. He died in October 899 and was buried at his capital city of Winchester.»