Anselm of Canterbury
Brief Life Sketch Anselm was born somewhere between April 1033 and April 1034, in Upper Bergundy somewhere near the town of Aosta. Thus, he is sometimes referred to as Anselm of Aosta. His father Gundulf was a Lombard nobleman and his mother, Ermenberga, was likely the granddaughter of Conrad the Peaceful. 1 It is claimed that Gundulf was far too generous with his wealth, which causes some problems for his family. 2 Anselm was a devout young man, likely owing to his mother's influence, who was a devoted Christian. As a result of his pious upbringing, he sought to enter a monastery at the age of fifteen but was rejected when his father refused to grant his permission. 3 Anselm became despondent and fell ill soon after, but recovered quickly and pursued the studies expected of him. Following the death of his mother due to complications of childbirth, his father became severely strict regarding religion. So much so that he joined a cloistered community, leaving behind Anselm an