Biographical Information
In Cividale in the northern Italian diocese of Aquilegia, Lawrence was born sometime before 1250. After studying the arts at Bologna (the hub of dictatorial study), he returned home and became canon of Aquilegia. As canon, Lawrence worked closely with the patriarchate, starting in 1269, where he assisted at the promulgation of the will of the recently deceased Patriarch of Aquilegia. Lawrence worked with the patriarchate until 1304, making notable appearances in the train of patriarch-elect Philip of Carinthia in 1270 and at patriarch Raimondo della Torre’s generale colloquium in 1274 (Jensen 1973).
Aside from his civic duties, Lawrence was a respected traveling teacher. He began his teaching career in the early 1280s, where medieval scholars propose he traveled first to Bologna, then sojourned in Rome, Toulouse, and Orléans (Jensen 1973). In the late 1290s, Lawrence gained popularity as a teacher in the faculty of arts at Paris. It was here that he wrote his first treatise, Summa dictaminis, and delivered it to the assembled university. The composition was well received, marking his position as a distinguished dictatores (or orator) and writer on the art of letter writing (Jensen 1973). His popularity rose with his continued writing, and copies of his eight manuscripts on the theory and application of the dictaminal style were widely circulated.
Along with writing manuscripts, Lawrence combined his civic and teaching career, composing letters on behalf of the university at Paris. His most significant letter was addressed to the pope, requesting a studium of Greek, Arabic, and Tartar be established (Jensen 1973).
After a distinguished academic and civic career, scholars assume Lawrence died of old age sometime after 1304.
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