I was really looking forward to Barbara Yorke's paper "Adomnan at the court of King Aldfrith" from the Adomnan conference published in Adomnan of Iona: Theologian, Lawmaker, Peacemaker. I have a couple of her books and I've learned a lot from her. Unfortunately there are a few things in her chapter that I don't think... Continue Reading →
Fostering Princes on Iona
A while back I mentioned that Michael Lapidge has placed Aldhelm on Iona, making him the second Anglo-Saxon prince to study there. This has made me wonder if Iona wasn't running a school for princes and other nobles. There is one other possible example. Stephan of Ripon seems to indicate in his Life of Bishop... Continue Reading →
Aldfrith, Aldhelm, and Adomnan
Continuing my report on Barbara Yorke's 2009 Jarrow lecture, she spent quite a bit of time on the relationship between Aldfrith and two of his good friends, Adomman and Aldhelm. How remarkable that this half-Irish, half Northumbrian prince had such close contact with two of the greatest scholars of his time. Yorke notes that both... Continue Reading →
Ecgfrith’s Heir
During a fall when I've been too busy for blogging, I got a great medieval surprise in my snail mailbox. For the first time I can remember the Jarrow Lecture has been published in the year it was given! Kudos to Barbara Yorke! She gave a very interesting and thought provoking lecture. So thought provoking... Continue Reading →
When Bede Met Adomnan…
One of the events that Bede mentions in the Ecclesiastical History that has always fascinated me is a meeting between Bede and Adomnan in 703. Bede never specifically says that he met Adomnan, but he does report of a visit by Adomnan to Wearmouth-Jarrow in the year before Adomnan's death. We know that Adomnan died... Continue Reading →
2009 Jarrow Lecture
This Friday, May 22 will be the annual Jarrow Lecture held at Bede's World/St Paul's Church Jarrow. The speaker this year is Barbara Yorke whose lecture will be on "Rex Doctissimus: Bede and King Aldfrith of Northumbria". It begins at 7:30 pm and is open to everyone. I am quite jealous. I would go out... Continue Reading →
Heavenfield 