Christine de Pizan was born in Venice in 1364.  That same year her family moved to Paris when her father, Tomasso di Benvenuto da Pizzano, became court astrologer/physician to Charles V.  The family surname changed from Pizzano to Pizan at this point.  Christine received an excellent education (despite her mother’s wishes) and could speak French, Italian and Latin.

Aged 15 she married Etienne Du Castel (25 years old), a graduate of the University of Paris and Court Secretary.  They had 3 children – Marie and Jean – the third died in childhood.
In 1380 Charles V died leaving the Pizan family “in a previously unknown position of poverty and debt).  In 1387 Christine’s father died leaving her to care for her two children, her mother and her niece. 

In 1390 Etienne Du Castel died in Beauvais France of an epidemic aged just 35.  After Etienne’s death Christine began writing poems (she had probably started as a copyist in a workshop where manuscripts were being prepared).  Her literary success grew out of contacts with the court of duc Louis d’Orleans.

Christine wrote many letters, books, poems etc – amongst them Letters on the Debate Concerning the Romance of the Rose, The Morale Proverbs, The Mutation of Fortune, Biography of King Charles V of France, The City of Ladies, The Book of the Three Virtues (sequel to City of Ladies), Christine’s Vision (autobiography), The Book of the Deeds of Arms and Chivalry and Song in Honor of Joan of Arc.

She retired to a convent at Poissy in 1418 and passed away in 1430.