Conrad of Megenberg: The Parisian Years

Abstract

Conrad of Megenberg was one of the most important and productive German scholars in the generation before Henry of Langenstein, Henry Totting of Oyta, and Marsilius of Inghen, and like the latter three secular masters, he received much of his higher education at Paris. Conrad’s Parisian period began with his appointment as lector in philosophy at the Cistercian house of studies, the College St. Bernard. If Conrad moved out of the College St. Bernard when he became regent master in arts, his departure ironically would coincide approximately with the completion of philosophical studies and the beginning of theological studies of a young and later controversial Cistercian monk, Jean de Mirecourt. The peculiar thing is that Conrad never refers to himself as a bachelor in theology, and that title is never accorded to him when he is mentioned in papal documents, as was customary.Keywords: Conrad of Megenberg; Parisian period; theology