by Katelyn Muir

Created on: April 16, 2008

There are few famous couples that don't end in some form of tragedy. There's Romeo and Juliet, Antony and Cleopatra, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and there is Peter and Heloise.

Heloise was a well-known French scholar and philosopher. She was educated at the convent of Saint Mary in Argenteuil. She then studied philosophy, theology and literature in Paris. Then her uncle, Abbot Fulbert, arranged for Peter Abelard, a famous and brilliant scholar and teacher at the University of Paris to tutor her privately. Peter was living at her uncle's house at the time.

Peter was a famous French philosopher, theologian and teacher. At the age of twenty-two he made his own school at Melun, after he moved nearer to Paris and made another school. He was taught by William of Champeaux and won debates against him multiple times. At the height of his fame he was chair at Notre Dame, he was also nominated canon in 1115.

When he met Heloise and began to tutor her, he fell in love with her and she with him. He was twenty-two years her senior and she was quite young. He used his influence over her to seduce her. Their relationship began to interfere with his work. One would think that such an affair would be something meant to be kept secret, but Peter had a difficult time keeping it such. Heloise's uncle soon discovered their relationship, as did many others. He was furious, Peter had been trusted and had abused the station he had been given as his niece's tutor.

Fulbert separated the two, hoping that would put an end to the affair. Peter and Heloise met in secret, and she found herself with child. Peter sent her to Brittany, where he was born and raised, and she gave birth to their son Astrolabe. She named him after a scientific instrument.

With Fulbert more furious than before, Peter tried to appease him by proposing a secret marriage. He did not want to ruin his budding career in the church. Heloise did not agree with this plan, she did not want him to sacrifice his career for her, but she ended up giving in to the pressure put on her by Peter and her uncle. Fulbert did not intend to keep the marriage a secret, trying to save face, but Heloise would deny the fact. When she refused to say she was married, Fulbert not only made life incredibly difficult for her, but abused her as well. When Peter found out she was being abused her had her go stay at the convent of Argenteuil.

With his niece out of his sight, Fulbert thought Peter had sent her away as a way of abandoning her. Enraged,

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>