William of Champeaux

William of Champeaux (Lat. Campellensis), a French scholastic, was born in the village of Champeaux, near Melun, about the close of the 11th century. He studied at Paris under Anselm of Laon, became archdeacon of Notre Dame, and taught dialectics in the cathedral school for many years. Among his scholars was the famous Abelard, who eventually eclipsed him. In 1105 Champeaux retired to a suburb of Paris, and there founded, in 1113, the Abbey of St. Victor. He soon opened a school of philosophy, rhetoric, and theology, and was next raised to the episcopacy of Chalonssur-Marne. He became involved in the papal quarrel of the investitures (q.v.), and died in 1121. His principal published works are two treatises entitled Moralia Abbreviata and De Ofigine Animae, together with a fragment on the eucharist, contained in Mabillon's edition of St. Bernard's Works. For these philosophic speculations. see Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Géneralé, 9:626.