In 1265, scholasticism was becoming a dominant intellectual movement in Europe, characterized by the use of reason and logic to understand faith and philosophy. This method of inquiry was particularly influential in universities and among theologians. Scholasticism encouraged rigorous debate and the synthesis of classical philosophy with Christian theology.

The principles of scholasticism influenced poets and writers, who began to incorporate logical reasoning and philosophical themes into their works. This intellectual backdrop shaped the writings of poets like Dante, who engaged with complex theological and philosophical ideas in his poetry.