John of Garland
John of Garland, also known as Johannes Garlandius, was a prominent English poet and scholar born around 1202. His life predominantly unfolded in France, where he studied at prestigious institutions such as Oxford and later Paris. Garland is best known for his long narrative poem, *De triumphis ecclesiae*, which chronicles the successes of the Church during his time and provides a detailed account of the Albigensian Crusade, a significant conflict against the Cathars. This crusade was notable for being waged by Christians against fellow Christians, reflecting the complex dynamics of faith during the thirteenth century.
Garland's contributions extend beyond poetry; he also authored several grammatical works that gained popularity, particularly in England. His writings include *Compendium grammatice*, a Latin vocabulary titled *Dictionarius*, and treatises on metrics. Despite facing challenges, such as the hostile atmosphere in Toulouse, where he began his teaching career, Garland's legacy endures through his comprehensive historical narratives and educational texts. He spent his later years in Paris, where he completed his major works before his death, likely between 1252 and 1272. His influences on Latin grammar and history are still recognized today.
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John of Garland
Philologist
- Born: c. 1195-1202
- Birthplace: England
- Died: c. 1252-1272
- Place of death: Paris, France
Biography
John of Garland (also known as Johannes Garlandius and as Johannes de Garlandia) was born in England around 1202. Although some early writers, such as John Balle, placed Garland among the writers of the eleventh century, Garland provided ample evidence in his own works to identify him as a writer who lived and wrote during the thirteenth century. This evidence verifies the date of his birth as between 1195 and 1202, and the date of his death as between 1252 and 1272. The major information about his life can be found in his long poem De triumphis ecclesiae. The poem is a long narrative recounting the history of the period during which he lived. The poem’s main theme is the success of the Church in winning victories over the heretics and infidels.
Although Garland was born in England, he lived in France for most of his life. After studying with John of London at Oxford in England, he went to Paris, where he studied with Alain de Lisle. In 1229, he was among the professors appointed to teach at the University of Toulouse. He was still in the south of France when the crusade against the Albigensians began.
His account of the crusade in Book IV through Book VI of his poem is a one of the most detailed accounts of the conflict between the Catholic Church and the heretical Cathars who resided around Toulouse and Albi. Taking its name from Albi, the Crusade was known as the Albegensian Crusade and was the only crusade waged by Christian believers against fellow Christians.
By 1232 or 1233, Toulouse was no longer a safe place for the Catholic-appointed professors. The hatred and resentment of the population for anyone professing Catholicism made it advisable for the professors to leave the university there. Garland was among the first of the teachers who left. He returned to Paris and spent the rest of his life there.
Once back in Paris and away from the turmoil and danger of Toulouse, he continued to work on his poem and finished it in 1252. He died in Paris. In addition to his long historical poem, Garland wrote a number of grammatical works, including Compendium grammatice, which were very popular in England. He also produced a large number of Latin poems and wrote a Latin vocabulary titled Dictionarius and two treatises on metrics.
John of Garland made significant contributions to letters with his works on Latin grammar and vocabulary. His most significant contribution was his long poem on the Albigensian Crusade with its extensive detailed record of the conflict.