Page "Alain de Lille" Paragraph 1

Little is known of his life, however it is clear that Alan entered the schools no earlier than the late 1140s ; first attending the school at Paris, and then at Chartres.

He likely would have studied under masters such as Peter Abelard, Gilbert of Poitiers and Thierry of Chartres.

This is known through the writings of John of Salisbury, who is thought to have been a near exact contemporary student of Alan of Lille.

His earliest writings were likely written in the 1150s, and probably in Paris.

Alan spent many years teaching at the school in Paris and he attended the Lateran Council in 1179.

Though the only accounts of his lectures seem to show a sort of eccentric style and approach, he was said to have been good friends with many other masters at the school in Paris, and taught there, as well as some time in southern France, into his old age.

He afterwards inhabited Montpellier ( he is sometimes called Alanus de Montepessulano ), lived for a time outside the walls of any cloister, and finally retired to Cîteaux, where he died in 1202.