1242

Many Jewish books, including 24 wagon-loads of handwritten copies of the Talmud, were burned by the Catholic authorities.

1302

Meister Eckhart received his master's degree from the University of Paris.

1310

31 May 1310

Margaret Porete, an early leader of the Free Spirit movement, was handed over to the provost of Paris, with the recommendation to "act mercifully with quick death." Her book was to be burned with her.

1 June 1310

Margaret Porete was burned at the stake in the Place de Greve. She had taught that people could attain a state of perfect freedom by concentrating their soul on God until the difference between self and God disappeared. Then people could do whatever they wished without sinning, so they needn't obey the rules of any church.

1518

October 1518

Conrad Grebel arrived in Paris and took up the study of Latin, Greek and Hebrew at the University of Paris. It wasn't long before he got into trouble, though.
(Go to March 1519 below.)

1519

March 1519

Conrad Grebel was involved in a student brawl in which two Frenchmen were killed. Conrad's father, upon hearing of his son's riotous living, withheld 600 of the 800 crowns of his scholarship.
(Go to June 1520 below.)

1520

June 1520

Conrad Grebel departed Paris and returned to his father's house in Zurich.