2 As a young priest, Pierre Abélard (1079–1142 or 44) was hired to tutor Héloïse (1101–64), the bright niece of a

2 As a young priest, Pierre Abélard (1079–1142 or 44) was hired to tutor Héloïse (1101–64), the bright niece of a wealthy Parisian merchant. They fell in love, were secretly married, and, when the girl was found to be pregnant, her furious uncle had Abélard castrated. The two lovers were sent to distant cloistered monasteries, communicating only by letter. Their tragic love story became a touchstone in French literature, and their correspondence in Latin survives. Abélard went on to become one of the leading theologians in Europe, engaging in polemic battles with the Sorbonne and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. Héloïse's letters reveal a woman of sharp and independent intellect.