Peter Abelard was a French philosopher and teacher who taught at the schools in Paris including the important Notre-Dame school. Abelard had several arguments with his former teacher William of Champeaux and left Notre-Dame to set up his own school. When Abelard returned to teach at Notre-Dame he began an affair with Héloise who was the niece of Fulbert, a canon at Notre-Dame. Héloise had a child and the affair was discovered. To apologise for the affair, Abelard left Notre-Dame to become a Monk and Héloise became a nun. It was from her convent that Héloise sent a series of love letters to Abelard. Abelard left his monastery to become a hermit. He died and was buried at Paraclete near Nogent-sur-Seine in 1142. Héloise was buried next to him when she died in 1163.

 Abelard, Peter (b.1079 - d.1142)