Beyond a fact that he was of Saxon, not of Norman extraction, and applies to himself a cognomen of Parvus, "short," or "small," couple details come knhave on his early life; however from either his own statements these are gathered that he crossed to France astir 1136, & began regular studies within Paris under Pierre Abélard, who got there for the brief period of time re-opened his famed school in Mont St Genevieve.

Fallowing Abelard's retirement, John carried in his studies under Alberich of Reims and Robert of Melun. From either 1138 to 1140 he exposed grammar and the classics under William of Conches and Richard l'Evêque, a adherent of Bernard of Chartres, perhaps at Chartres.

Bernard's teaching was distinguished part by its pronounced Platonic tendency, partly per stress placed upon literary survey of a greater Latin writers; & the influence of the latter feature is noticeable all told John of Salisbury's works.

Just about 1140 he was at Paris studying theology under Gilbert de la Porrée, then under Robert Pullus and Simon of Poissy. Inside 1148 he resided at Moutiers la Celle in the bishopric of Troyes, with his friend Peter of Celle. He was present at a council of Reims, presided assibilate by Pope Eugenius III, and was probably presented by Bernard of Clairvaux to Theobald, archbishop of Canterbury, under whose sponsorship he returned to England about 1150.

Appointive secretary to Theobald, he was oft forward missions to the papal look at. around the period of this instance he composed his greatest works, published well-nigh for certain in 1159, the Policraticus, sive first state nugis curialium el delaware vestigiis philosophorum & a Metalogicus, writings priceless when depot of facts on a matter & form of scholastic education, & remarkable for their cultivated style & humanistic tendency. When a dying of Theobald inside 1161, John continued as secretary to Thomas Becket, & took an active a portion in the long disputes between that primate and his monarch, Henry II.

His letters throw weak on the constitutional struggle so agitating England. By having Becket he withdrew to France in a period of the king's displeasure; he returned sustaining him witharound 1170, & was in Canterbury at a instance of his assassination. inside the resulting years, around the period of which he continued in an influential situation in Canterbury, however at what accurate date is unknown, he wrote the Life of Becket.

Within 1176 he was made bishop of Chartres, where he passed a remainder of his life. Within 1179 he took an active a portion in the third Lateran council. He died at or even touching Chartres in October 25 1180.

John's writings enable u.s. to know sustaining great deal completeness a literary & scientific position of the 12th century. His views indicate the cultivated intelligence swell knowledgeable within practical affairs, opposing to the extremes of each nominalism & realism the practical gumption. His philosophical system occurs as rather utilitarianism, sustaining the hard leaning on the speculative side to the limited literary agnosticism of Cicero, for whom he had boundless admiratiin & on whose style he depending his have.

Of Greek writers he appears to use known nothing ab initio h&, and super little within translations. A Timaeus of Plato in the Latin version of Chalcidius was known to him as to his coeval & predecessors, & probably he got access to translations of the Phaedo & Meno. Of Aristotle he possessed the whole of the Organon inside Latin; he is, indeed, a number 1 of a mediaeval writers of note to whom the whole was known.

His treatise "De nugis curialium" (On a trifles of the court) crystalise the degeneration of the 12th century court manners & the honourable lowness of the royalty.

Primary sources and further reading
Latin text & English translations of John's works: ISBN 0198222394 -- Letters (1153-1161) ISBN 0198222408 -- Letters (1163-1180) ISBN 0198222750 -- Historia Pontificalis

English translations of John's works: ISBN 0521367018 -- Policraticus ISBN 0844601594 -- Metalogicon

English extract of John's political orientation: [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/salisbury-poli4.html Policraticus, IV, selections] [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/salisbury-poli6-24.html Policraticus, VI, 24]