Early years Peter Lombard was born in
Lumellogno (then a rural commune, now a
quartiere of
Novara,
Piedmont), in northwestern
Italy, to a poor family. His date of birth was likely between 1095 and 1100. The patronage of
Odo, bishop of Lucca, who recommended him to
Bernard of Clairvaux, allowed him to leave Italy and further his studies at
Reims and
Paris. Lombard studied first in the
cathedral school at Reims, where Magister Alberich and Lutolph of Novara were teaching, and arrived in Paris about 1134, where Bernard recommended him to the canons of the church of St. Victor.
Professor In Paris, where he spent the next decade teaching at the cathedral school of
Notre-Dame de Paris, he came into contact with
Peter Abelard and
Hugh of St. Victor, who were among the leading theologians of the time. There are no proven facts relating to his whereabouts in Paris until 1142, when he became recognised as a teacher and writer. Around 1145, Peter became a "magister", or professor, at the cathedral school of
Notre Dame in Paris. Peter's means of earning a living before he began to derive income as a teacher and from his
canon's
prebend is shrouded in uncertainty. Lombard's style of teaching gained quick acknowledgement. It can be surmised that this attention is what prompted the canons of Notre Dame to ask him to join their ranks. He was considered a
celebrated theologian by 1144. The Parisian school of canons had not included among their number a theologian of high regard for some years. The canons of Notre Dame, to a man, were members of the
Capetian dynasty, relatives of families closely aligned to the Capetians by blood or marriage, scions of the
Île-de-France or eastern
Loire Valley nobility, or relatives of royal officials. In contrast, Peter had no relatives, ecclesiastical connections, or political patrons in France. It seems that he must have been invited by the canons of Notre Dame solely for his academic merit.
Priesthood and Bishop of Paris He became a
subdeacon in 1147. Possibly, he was present at the consistory of Paris in 1147, and certainly he attended the
Council of Rheims in 1148, held in the presence of
Pope Eugenius III to examine
Gilbert de la Porrée and
Éon de l'Étoile. Peter was among the signatories of the act condemning Gilbert's teachings. At some time after 1150 Peter became a
deacon, then
archdeacon, maybe as early as 1152. He was ordained a priest sometime before 1156. On 28 July 1159, on the
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, he was
consecrated bishop of Paris.
Walter of St Victor accused Peter of obtaining the office by
simony. The more usual story is that Philip, younger brother of
Louis VII and archdeacon of Notre-Dame, was elected by the canons but declined in favour of Peter Lombard, his teacher. Lombard's time as bishop was brief. Lombard died on either 21 or 22 August 1160 in Paris.
Death and legacy Lombard's tomb in the church of Saint-Marcel in Paris was destroyed during the
French Revolution, but a transcription of his epitaph survives. Because of the wide influence of the
Sentences in medieval universities, Lombard was often identified by a
scholastic accolade:
Magister Sententiarum (). ==Writings==