Circa 810 - Circa 877
Philosopher And Theologian

The First Medieval Latin Philosopher. John Scottus Eriugena stands out as the most original thinker of the ninth century and the first systematic philosopher of the Middle Ages. He was born in Ireland but moved to France, perhaps because of the turbulence caused by Viking raids. France was still in the midst of the so-called renaissance of Charlemagne, who one generation earlier had welcomed foreign scholars such as Alcuin of York and Theodulf of Orleans. In this favorable climate Eriugena flourished. His keen mind and breadth of knowledge soon earned him a reputation as one of the finest scholars in Europe. He became a friend of Charlemagne's grandson, King Charles the Bald, and served at his court as a poet, philosopher, theologian, and translator.

Major Works. Eriugena's philosophical works may be divided into two categories. The first includes those...