Christian History Timeline: Brief Chronology of the Life and Works of Bernard of Clairvaux
1090 Birth of Bernard
1095 The First Crusade
1098 Founding of monastery at Citeaux by Robert of Molesme
1109 Anselm of Canterbury dies
1113 Bernard enters Citeaux
1115 Bernard founds monastery at Clairvaux
1118 Founding of monastery at Trois-Fontaines
1119 Founding of monastery at Fontenay
1121 Abelard’s teachings on the Trinity condemned (Abelard born 1079)
1121 Founding of monastery at Foigny
1124 The Steps of Humility and Pride
1126–1141 On Loving God* [* The exact dates of some of Bernard’s works are not known; completed sometime between the years given.]
1126–1135 On Grace and Free Choice* [* The exact dates of some of Bernard’s works are not known; completed sometime between the years given.]
1127–1128 Duties and Conduct of Bishops
1128 Order of Knights Templar established
1128–1136 In Praise of the New Knighthood* [* The exact dates of some of Bernard’s works are not known; completed sometime between the years given.]
1130 Pope Honorius II dies controversy between rival successor popes begins eight-year schism
1130–1138 Bernard works (successfully) to secure papacy for Innocent II
1132 Founding of monastery at Rievaulx
1135 Bernard sent on political mission as papal envoy to Bamberg, Germany
1135–1153 Sermons on the Song of Songs (in progess at Bernard’s death)
1138 Second Lateran Council confirms Innocent II; annuls all acts of rival antipope Anacletus II
1139–1140 Sermons of Conversion
1139 Bernard’s controversy with Abelard
1140–1141 Abelard condemned at Sens
1143 Death of Pope Innocent II
1145 Election of Pope Eugenius III (Bernard’s former pupil)
1146–1147 Bernard preaches the Second Crusade
1148 Bernard attempts to have Gilbert of Poitiers condemned at Council of Rheims
1148 Defeat of the Second Crusade at Damascus
1150s Five Books on Consideration (completed 1153)
1150 Univeristy of Paris Founded
1150–1152 Life of St Malachy
1153 Death of Bernard
1153 Pope Eugenius III dies
By the Editors
[Christian History originally published this article in Christian History Issue #24 in 1989]
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Bernard of Clairvaux