Alexander Neckham

Alexander Neckam (8 September 1157 – 31 March 1217) was an English poet, theologian, and writer. He was an abbot of Cirencester Abbey from 1213 until his death. Born in St Albans, he shared his birthday with King Richard I, leading to his mother serving as Richard's wet nurse and Neckam being raised as his foster-brother. Neckam's theological work, *Speculum speculationum*, aimed to combat Cathar heresy and applied dialectic logic to theology. He also showed interest in grammar and natural history, and is particularly noted for his writings on nautical science, preserving early European notices of the magnetic needle and the compass. His works include *De utensilibus* and *De naturis rerum*, as well as commentaries on various texts and translations. He also displayed interest in contemporary medical science and is speculated to have indirectly contributed to legends about Virgil's magical powers.