Ecclesiastical History of the English People by Bede

Hengist and Horsa were the sons of Wictgils, son of Witta, son of Wecta, son of Woden, this Woden being the ancestor of many royal houses. Then, in chapte 15, after mentioning that Martian and Valentinian became emperors in 449 and reigned for seven years, Bede claims it was at that time that Gildas’ three keels of Saxons arrived, being invited by King Vortigern, Vortigern being here first mentioned in extant texts.īede divides the so-called Saxons in England into three tribal groups:ġ.) the Jutes of Kent and the Isle of Wight and those on the shoreland opposite the Isle of Wight 2.) The Saxons of Essex, Sussex, and Wessex 3.) the Angles of East Anglia, Mercia, and Northumbria.īede carefully claims that the first chieftains “were said to be” the brothers Hengist and Horsa, of whom Horsa was killed in east Kent where a monument bearing his name stands. Bede relates the defeat of the Picts, though without replicating Gildas’ belief that it was obtained though trust in God.īeden's Independent Tradition about the Saxons In chapter 13–14 Bede continues to follow Gildas, though he uses the more correct spelling Aëtius for the Roman general to whom the Britons sent for aid according to Gildas. Hadrian’s Wall is normally attributed to Severus in medieval texts. Bede, in attempting to fit in the stone wall which Gildas says was built at this point, claims that it was built where Severus had earlier built his earthwork. Then follows Gildas’s second Pictish invasion and the coming of the last Roman legion to aid the Britons.

Bede explains Gildas’s incorrect belief that only at that point in time did the Picts settle in Britain by weakly explaining that the earlier Pictish territory in Britain was sundered from the rest of Britain by two sea estuaries.īede follows Gildas in describing how the Britons sought Roman aid and how a legion was sent to them and built a turf wall across the island. 5 Bede Summarizes Gildas’ Judgment on the Britonsīeginning with Book I, chapter 12, Bede begins to rely mainly on Gildas’ De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae which appears to be almost Bede’s only source for this era.2 Beden's Independent Tradition about the Saxons.

Ecclesiastical History of the English People by Bede