Hagiography, History & Politics

This page sets up a diagram that allows seventh and eighth hagiographic works to be set in the period of their composition. The historic background of all these hagiographic works should be considered when evaluating the credibility of the source. All of these authors were motivated or biased by their historic contexts.

Manuscript

Date

King

Bishops and Abbots

Author and Location

Life of Columba

688-704

Aldfrith
685-705
in Northumbria

Domnall Donn son of Conall Condomma d. 695, Eochaid son of Domangart son of Domnall Brecc d. 697, Ferchar Fota d. 697, Ainbecellach son of Ferchar Fota d. 719
in Dalriada

Æthelred 675-704 in Mercia

Bredei son of Derelei King of Picts 697-706

Adomnan Abbot of Iona,

Coelfrith Abbot of Jarrow and Wearmouth

Bosa Bishop of York 678-86, 691-706

John Bishop of Hexham 687-706

Eadberht Bishop of Lindisfarne 688-698

Eadfrith Bishop of Lindisfarne 698-721

Ælfflaed Abbess of Whitby 680-714

Wilfrid I Bishop of York 687 692, Bishop of Hexham 706-709

Berhtwald Archbishop of Canterbury 692-731

Adomnan of Iona

Anonymous Life of Cuthbert

699-705

Aldfrith
685-705 in Northumbria

Æthelred 675-704 in Mercia

Bredei son of Derelei King of Picts 697-706

Eadfrith Bishop of Lindisfarne 698-721

Bosa Bishop York 678-86, 691-706

John Bishop of Hexham 687-706

Dunchad Abbot of Iona 707-717

Ceolfrith Abbot of Wearmouth and Jarrow.

Ælflæd Abbess of Whitby 680-714

Wilfrid I Bishop of York 687-692

Berhtwald Archbishop of Canterbury 692-731

Anon. at Lindisfarne

 Life of Gregory the Great
 704-714

 Aldfrith 685-705 or Osred 705 -716 in Northumbria

Coenred 704-709, Ceolred 709-716  in Mercia

Bredei son of Derelei 697-706, or Nechtan son of Derelei 706-724 in Pictland

  Ælflæd Abbess of Whitby 680-714

Bosa Bishop of York, 678-86, 691-706

John Bishop of Hexham 687-706, York 706-721

Benedict Biscop and Ceolfirth Abbot of Wearmouth and Jarrow


Eadfrith Bishop of Lindisfarne 698-721


Wilfrid I Bishop of York 687 692, Bishop of Hexham 706 709

Berhtwald Archbishop of Canterbury 692-731

 Anon. at Whitby

Verse Life of Cuthbert
705-716

Osred
705-716 in Northumbria

Coenred 704-709, Coelred 709-716 in Mercia

Bredei son of Derelei 697-706, or Nechtan son of Derelei 706-724 in Pictland

Eadfrith Bishop of Lindisfarne 698-721

John Bishop of York 706-721


Ceolfrith Abbot of Wearmouth and Jarrow - 716

Ælflæd Abbess of Whitby 680-714

Wilfrid I Bishop of Hexham 706 709

Berhtwald Archbishop of Canterbury 692-731

Bede of Jarrow

Life of Hild?

?687-714?
before 731

Aldfrith of Northumbria

685-704

 

 

Osred
705-716 in Northumbria

Ælfflaed Abbess of Whitby, five of Hild's students become Bishops
(Bosa Bishop of York 678-86, 691-706; John Bishop of Hexham 687-706 and York 706-721, Ætla Bishop of Dorchester early 670s, Oftor Bishop of the Hwicce c. 691, Wilfrid II, Bihop of York 721-732)

Berhtwald Archbishop of Canterbury 692-731

Eadfrith Bishop of Lindisfarne 698-721

?

Life of Wilfrid

710-715

revised in the 730s

Osred of Northumbria 704/5-716

Coelwulf of Northumbria 729-737 (for the revision)

Ceolred 709-716 or Æthelbald 716-740? in Mercia

Bredei son of Derelei 697-706, or Nechtan son of Derelei 706-724 in Pictland

Acca Bishop of Hexham 709-731


John Bishop of York 706-721

Eadfrith Bishop of Lindisfarne 698-721


Ælfflaed Abbess of Whitby 680-714

Berhtwald Archbishop of Canterbury 692-731

Eddius Stephanus of Ripon

Anon. Life of Ceolfrith

c. 716

Cenred 716-718 or Osric 718- 729 in Northumbria

Ceolred 709-716 or Æthelbald 716-   in Mercia

Nechtan son of Derelei King of Picts 706-724

Acca Bishop of Hexham 709-731

Eadfrith Bishop of Lindisfarne 698-721


John Bishop of York 706-721

Berhtwald Archbishop of Canterbury 692-731

Anon. at Wearmouth

Prose Life of Cuthbert

c. 721

Osric
718-729 in Northumbria

Æthelbald in Mercia 716-757

Nechtan son of Derelei King of Picts 706-724, 728-729

Eadfrith Bishop of Lindisfarne 698-721

Æthelwold Bishop of Lindisfarne 721-740

Acca Bishop of Hexham 709-731

John Bishop of York 706-721

Berhtwald Archbishop of Canterbury 692-731

Bede of Jarrow under the direction of Lindisfarne

The Martyrology

725-731

Osric 718 729 or Coelwulf
729-737 in Northumbria

Æthelbald in Mercia 716-757

Æthelwold Bishop of Lindisfarne 721-740

Acca Bishop of Hexham 709-731

Berhtwald Archbishop of Canterbury 692-731

Bede of Jarrow

History of the Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow

c. 730

Ceolwulf
729-737 in Northumbria

Æthelbald 716-757 in Mercia

King of Picts: Nechtan son of Derelei 706-724, 728-729; Oengus I son of Fergus 729-761

Æthelwold Bishop of Lindisfarne 721-740

Wilfrid II Bishop of York 721-32

Acca Bishop of Hexham 709-731

Berhtwald Archbishop of Canterbury 692-731

Bede of Jarrow

Ecclessiastical History of the English People

731, revised 732/3?

Ceolwulf
729-737 in Northumbria

Æthelbald King of Mercia 716-757

Oengus I son of Fergus King of Picts 729-761

Wilfrid II Bishop of York 721-732

Egbert Bishop of York 732-66

Æthelwold Bishop of Lindisfarne 721-740

Acca Bishop of Hexham 709-731

Pehthelm/Pecthelm First English Bishop of Whithorn 731-735 (informant of Bede V.13)

Berhtwald Archbishop of Canterbury 692-731

Tatwine Archbishop of Canterbury 731-734

Bede of Jarrow

Life of Guthlac
716-749

Æthelbald of Mercia 716-757

Ælfwulf of East Anglia 713-749

Archbishops of Canterbury:

Berhtwald 692-731

Tatwine 731-734

Nothelm 736-740

Cuthbert 740-758

Felix of East Anglia

Return to Resource Index page.

 

Last Updated May 2000.

(c) Michelle Ziegler, 2000