Gundissalinus’s biography can be divided into three main periods, corresponding to his presence in three main cultural venues of the 12th century: Chartres, Segovia, and Toledo.
Chartres
Dominicus Gundissalinus was born in the Iberian Peninsula, probably between 1115 and 1125. Analysis of his philosophical works has pointed out the closeness of Gundissalinus’s main coordinates to the masters of Chartres and, particularly, William of Conches and Thierry of Chartres. Gundissalinus’s knowledge of their writings and doctrines has led many scholars to suppose a direct link between the Toledan philosopher and Chartres, and possibly also his personal presence in Chartres. Accordingly, considering that he is attested in Segovia since 1148, Gundissalinus should have studied in Chartres sometime between 1135 and 1148.
Segovia
At least since 1148, Gundissalinus was in Segovia. The archive of its cathedral states his presence in that town on 6 May 1148. The document states registers “Dominicus archidiacunus Collarensis”, that is, archdeacon of Cuéllar (a village close to Segovia). The identification of the “Dominicus” archdeacon of Cuéllar with Gundissalinus is corroborated by the manuscript tradition of many of his works, which ascribes the paternity of these writings to Dominicus “archidiaconus Toleti” or, in the longer and more detailed qualification, “archidiaconus Segobiensis apud Toletum”. At least another translator was active in Segovia before the arrival of Gundissalinus: Robert of Chester, who translated the Liber de compositione alchemiae in that town earlier in the 1140s. Only one year after Gundissalinus’s arrival in town, John of Castelmoron became bishop of Segovia in 1149. John would would hold that office for three years, until his election to archbishop of Toledo, in 1152 with the name of John II. It is under John’s archbishopric that the translation movement begun, considering that Gerard of Cremona’s activity which started sometime before 1157.
Toledo
Gundissalinus moved to Toledo in 1161 or 1162. His relocation is to be linked to another inaugural figure of the translation movement, Abraham Ibn Daud (Lat. Avendauth), who is attested in the Castilian town in 1161.The Jewish philosopher is the author of the Latin translation of Avicenna’s prologue to the Liber sufficientiae, the very first translation into Latin of a work by Avicenna. Almost surely, Dominicus Gundissalinus moved to Toledo in order to collaborate with Ibn Daud and together they translated Avicenna’s De Anima, sometimes before 1166. The collaboration between Ibn Daud and Gundissalinus (and John of Spain, the third member of the team) would go well beyond the translation of Arabic writings, and they gave birth to a pivotal speculative milieu of critical elaboration of scientific and philosophical works. It seems not unreasonable to suppose that Gundissalinus’s translating activity had already begun during his Segovian years, and that be the reason why John required Gundissalinus in Toledo. Gundissalinus’s last attestation in the Toledan chapter is dated 1178, but the philosopher stayed in town at least until 1181, as it is documented by a certificate of sale of a terrain owned by him. After 1181, Gundissalinus probably moved back to Segovia, where he is attested in 1190 by the capitulary archives of Segovia and Burgos. This is the last source witnessing Gundissalinus alive: since 1194 Cuéllar has a new archdeacon, John, whose existence is witnessed by a letter and further attested by the Toledan capitulary archive in 1198.
Nicola Polloni