It was originally composed in Latin, and is considered 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.

What did Bede write?

Bede is most famous for his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (Ecclesiastical History of the English People), which was completed in 731 when he was around 59 years old.

What three languages did the Venerable Bede know?

Bede was moreover a skilled linguist and translator, and his work made the Latin and Greek writings of the early Church Fathers much more accessible to his fellow Anglo-Saxons, which contributed significantly to English Christianity.