Writer Biographies

Medieval era

Siger of Brabant

1235 – November 10, 1284

Belgian philosopher, c. 1240–1284

Medieval era

Giles of Rome

1243 – December 22, 1316

Roman Catholic archbishop

Medieval era

Marie de France

c. 1101 – c. 1300

Medieval poet

Medieval era

Chretien de Troyes

c. 1135 – c. 1181

12th century French poet and trouvère

Medieval era

Jean de Joinville

1224 – December 24, 1317

French chronicler

Christine de Pizan

d. 1430

French poet and author (1364 – c. 1430)

Medieval era

Francois Villon

1431 – 1463

French poet and criminal

Medieval era

William Langland

1332 – 1386

English writer

Medieval era

Thomas Malory

1405 – March 14, 1471

English writer, author of Le Morte d'Arthur (1405–1471)

Medieval era

Ramon Llull

1232 – 1316

Majorcan writer and philosopher (c.1232–1315/6)

Medieval era

Guido of Arezzo

992 CE – 1050

11th century Italian monk, inventor of modern musical notation

Medieval era

Guillaume de Machaut

1300 – 1377

Medieval French composer and poet (c. 1300–1377)

Medieval era

Lorenzo Ghiberti

1378 – December 1, 1455

Italian sculptor and architect (1378–1455)

Medieval era

Cynewulf

c. 900 CE – c. 900 CE

Anglo Saxon poet

Medieval era

John Gower

1330 – 1408

English writer and poet (c.1330–1408)

Medieval era

James I of Scotland

July 25, 1394 – February 21, 1437

King of Scots from 1406 to 1437

Medieval era

Robert Henryson

1425 – 1506

15th-century Scottish makar (poet)

Medieval era

Dafydd ap Gwilym

1320 – 1380

14th-century Welsh poet

Medieval era

Taliesin

534 CE – 599 CE

Welsh bard

Medieval era

Aneirin

525 CE – 600 CE

Brythonic (Welsh) poet; author of the Gododdin.

Medieval era

Hartmann von Aue

1160 – 1210

Leading poet of the Middle High German period

Medieval era

Gottfried von Strassburg

1180 – 1215

Medieval German poet

Medieval era

Oswald von Wolkenstein

1377 – August 2, 1445

German poet, composer, and diplomat

Medieval era

Jaufre Rudel

1000 – 1148

Prince of Blaye and troubadour

Medieval era

Comtessa de Dia

1140 – 1212

Female troubadour (fl. c. 1175 or c. 1212)

Medieval era

Sordello

1200 – 1269

Italian troubadour, poet and composer

Medieval era

Luigi Pulci

August 15, 1432 – November 11, 1484

Italian poet (1432-1484)

Medieval era

Matteo Maria Boiardo

1441 – December 19, 1494

Italian writer

Medieval era

Gilles Binchois

1400 – September 20, 1460

Franco-Flemish Renaissance composer (c. 1400–1460)

Medieval era

Adam de la Halle

1237 – 1288

French poet, composer and trouvère

Medieval era

Juan Ruiz

1283 – 1350

14th century Castilian poet

Medieval era

Don Juan Manuel

May 5, 1282 – c. 1400

Spanish prince and writer (1282-1348)

Medieval era

Gonzalo de Berceo

1196 – 1260

13th-century Castilian poet

Medieval era

William IX, Duke of Aquitaine

October 22, 1071 – February 10, 1126

Duke of Aquitaine and Gascony and Count of Poitou

Medieval era

Suger of Saint-Denis

1080 – January 13, 1151

French abbot-statesmen, historian and the influential first patron of Gothic architecture (1080-1151)

Medieval era

Guillaume de Lorris

1200 – 1238

French scholar and poet from Lorris (1200–1238)

Medieval era

Philippe de Commines

1447 – October 28, 1511

Writer and diplomat (1447-1511)

Medieval era

Jean Gerson

December 13, 1363 – July 12, 1429

French academic (1363/1369–1429)

Modern era

John Ball

August 20, 1818 – October 21, 1889

British politician, naturalist and Alpine traveller. (1818-1889)

Medieval era

Egil Skallagrimsson

910 CE – 990 CE

Viking Age poet, warrior and farmer

Medieval era

Caterina Sforza

1463 – May 28, 1509

Lady of Imola and Countess of Forlì (1463-1509)

Medieval era

Ulrich von Liechtenstein

c. 1200 – January 26, 1275

Austrian poet and nobleman

Medieval era

Radegund

518 CE – August 13, 587 CE

Frankish queen consort

Medieval era

Mechthild of Magdeburg

1207 – 1282

German mystic

Ancient era

Amalasuntha

498 CE – April 30, 535 CE

Queen of the Ostrogoths (495-535)

Medieval era

Hadewijch

1200 – c. 1260

13th-century Dutch poet and mystic

Medieval era

Jan van Ruusbroec

1293 – December 2, 1381

Brabantian mystic and writer (1293–1381)

Medieval era

Johannes Tauler

1300 – 1361

Mystic, author

Ancient era

Enheduanna

c. 2300 BCE – c. 2300 BCE

Akkadian princess; Sumerian high priestess of Nanna at Ur; poet and philosopher

Ancient era

Berossus

c. 400 BCE – c. 300 BCE

3rd-century BC Babylonian writer, priest and astronomer

Ancient era

Sin-leqi-unninni

c. 1200 BCE – c. 1100 BCE

Babylonian scribe

Ancient era

Manetho

b. c. 201 BCE

3rd-century BC Egyptian historian and priest

Medieval era

Bahram Chobin

c. 600 CE – 592 CE

Sasanian general and political leader (died 591)

Medieval era

Borzuya

c. 500 CE – c. 600 CE

Persian scientist

Ancient era

Bozorgmehr

c. 450 CE – c. 501 CE

6th-century Iranian sage and dignitary

Ancient era

Juba II

52 BCE – 23 CE

Crown prince of Numidia and King of Mauretania (c. 48 BC - AD 23)

Medieval era

Antarah ibn Shaddad

525 CE – 608 CE

Arabian warrior and poet

Medieval era

Al-Khansa

575 CE – 645 CE

Arab poet

Ancient era

Plotinus

205 CE – 270 CE

Hellenistic Platonist philosopher and founder of Neoplatonism (c. 204/5–270)

Ancient era

Philo of Alexandria

15 BCE – 45 CE

Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria (c. 20 BCE-c. 50 CE)