Saint Benedict Biscop
Saint Benedict Biscop was a notable figure in the early medieval period, recognized for his significant contributions to monastic life and education in England. Born into a noble family, he converted to a religious life at the age of twenty-five after spending formative years at the abbey of Lerins in France and later in Rome. In 669 CE, he returned to Britain and joined a missionary team led by Theodore of Tarsus, the archbishop of Canterbury. Benedict Biscop founded two important monasteries in Northumbria: Monkwearmouth in 674 CE and Jarrow in 682 CE.
A key aspect of Biscop's legacy is his dedication to the intellectual development of his monastic communities. He made several trips to Rome to acquire books, enriching his monasteries with both Christian and classical Latin manuscripts. His efforts laid the foundation for a significant scholarly tradition, exemplified by the renowned monk Bede, whose historical writings were made possible through the resources of the library at Jarrow. Saint Benedict Biscop's influence endures in the history of education and monasticism in England, marking him as a pivotal figure in the preservation and dissemination of knowledge during the early medieval era.
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Saint Benedict Biscop
Related civilization: Early medieval Europe
Major role/position: Christian monk
Life
Born into a noble family, Benedict Biscop (BEHN-uh-dihkt BIHSH-ahp) was given lands by the king equal to that of thane (free-retainer) status before his conversion at twenty-five years of age to the religious life. He spent two years on an island off the southern coast of France at the abbey of Lerins and more time in Rome before returning to Britain in 669 c.e. He was part of a missionary team led by the Greek monk Theodore of Tarsus, who became the archbishop of Canterbury for twenty-one years. After spending two years at the abbey of Saints Peter and Paul in Canterbury, Biscop went to Northumbria and founded the monasteries of Monkwearmouth in 674 and Jarrow in 682 c.e.
Influence
In order to provide his monasteries with the learning required to live the monastic life, Biscop made frequent trips back to Rome to secure books to fill the libraries of his two abbeys. Not only did he obtain works by Christian authors, but he secured manuscripts by classical Latin writers as well. Jarrow’s most famous monk was Bede, whose Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (731/732 c.e.; A History of the English Church and People, 1955) was possible only because of the library and monastery of Jarrow founded by Benedict Biscop.
Bibliography
Blair, Peter. Roman Britain and Early England: 55 b.c.-a.d. 871. New York: W. W. Norton, 1963.
Thomas, Charles. Celtic Britain. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1997.
Whitelock, Dorothy. The Beginnings of English Society. Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1966.