Background
He was born between the years 1115 and 1120, at Auxerre. Died some time after the year 1188, probably at the Hautecombe Abbey, Savoie.
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Geoffrey Clairvaux
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At an early age he entered the ranks of the clergy, and followed for some time the course of lectures given by Abelard. In 1140 Bernard of Clairvaux came to Paris, and before the assembled scholars preached a sermon "De conversione ad clericos", in which he dwelt on the vanities of a life in the world, on the necessity of a sincere conversion, and on the peace to be found in the monastic profession. Geoffrey, with several others, followed Saint Bernard and joined the monastic community of Clairvaux.
Soon he became his notarius, or secretary, and his permanent companion.
During the years 1146-1147 he travelled with Bernard through France and Germany, where the saint aroused people for a crusade to the Holy Land. At the council of Reims in 1148 he took an active part in the discussion concerning the errors of Gilbert de la Porréest
In 1159 he was made abbot of the monastery of Igny in the Diocese of Reims, and in 1162 he became the fourth Abbot of Clairvaux. Owing to difficulties with the monks, he was forced to resign in 1165.
But in 1170 he was appointed to the Abbey of Fossa Nuova in the diocese of Terracina, Italy, and in 1176 to that of Haute Combe, Savoy.
In the political events of the time he had only a small share. Thus, in 1167 and 1168, he took part in the negotiations tending towards the reconciliation of Pope Alexander III (1159-1181) with the Emperor Frederic Barbarossa and King Henry II of England.
