French Romance Story: From the Lays of Marie de France

Marie de France (fl. 1160 to 1215) was a medieval poet who was probably born in France and lived in England during the late 12th century. She lived and wrote at an unknown court, but she and her work were almost certainly known at the royal court of King Henry II of England. Virtually nothing is known of her life; both her given name and its geographical specification come from her manuscripts. However, one written description of her work and popularity from her own era still exists. Marie de France wrote in Francien with some Anglo-Norman influence. She was evidently proficient in Latin, as were most authors and scholars of the era, as well as English and possibly even Breton language. At a time when most people were illiterate and educated scholars or clerics were usually men, Marie was one of very few women to have achieved such an education. --Wikipedia