Anselm of Laon

Timeline

1. c. 1050–1100Laon · PicardyBorn in Picardy, he studied early on at places such as Reims, later returning to Laon to teach. He gradually built a school centered on biblical commentary and systematic theology, and shared a name but not an identity with Anselm of Bec (Canterbury).
2. 1101–1110Laon · PicardyBetween 1101 and 1110 the Laon school reached its peak; Anselm and his brother Radulfus collaborated on textbooks such as the Glossa ordinaria, attracting students from many regions to Laon. The school was known for systematic commentary and dialectical teaching, supplying faculty and textbook traditions to emerging institutions such as Paris.
3. 1111–1117Laon · PicardyIn his later years he continued to head the school while his pupil Abelard and others established themselves and debated against him. He died at Laon on 15 April 1117; the school passed to his brother Radulfus and others, and his commentaries long circulated as standard textbooks in medieval universities.