Portrait of Alain de Lille

Alain de Lille

French theologian and poet

Lived
1117–1203
Country
France

Updated September 2026

About Alain de Lille

Alain de Lille was a French theologian and poet. He was born in Lille some time before 1128. His exact date of death remains unclear as well, with most research pointing toward it being between 14 April 1202 and 5 April 1203. He is known for writing a number of works based upon the teachings of the liberal arts, with one of his most renowned poems, De planctu Naturae, focusing on sexual conduct among humans. Although Alain was widely known during his lifetime, little is known about his personal life.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.