Abelard and Heloise

by on May 8, 2015 with No Comments
1079 Birth of Abelard in Brittany.
(d. 1142)
1100 Birth of Heloise.
(d. 1163)
1117 Abelard meets and seduces Heloise while living in house of her Uncle Fulbert a Canon at the Cathedral of Paris.
1118 Heloise becomes pregnant and Abelard carries Heloise to his home in Brittany where she gives birth to their son Astralabe. Heloise and Abelard secretly marry in Paris (Fulbert present). When rumors spread, Heloise denies the marriage. Abelard sends her to Argenteuil convent disguised as nun to either protect her from scandal or to protect himself. Uncle Fulbert’s henchmen sneak in to Abelard’s house and castrate him. The scandal in Paris is without precedent. It seems that Abelard’s university career is ruined. Both Abelard and Heloise decide to enter monastic orders.
1121 Abelard’s teachings become more and more controversial.
Council of Soissons: he is condemned.
His enemy Bernard of Clairvaux is working against him.
1123 Heloise becomes Prioress of her convent.
Abelard and friends try to help her and protect her.
1131 Pope Innocent II grants permanent charter to Heloise’s house thus protecting her. She is always in danger (enemies).
1132 Abelard’s Historia Calamitatum.
Friends have copies.
1136 Abelard teaching in Paris; the scandal had not stopped him.
He now is back lecturing.
1142 Death of Abelard.
Heloise lives on for twenty years as honored head of her monastic institution.
1163 Death of Heloise.
Both now buried in Pere Lachaise cemetery, Paris.