Chrétien de Troyes was a French poet and trouvère known for his writing on Arthurian subjects such as Gawain, Lancelot, Perceval, and the Holy Grail. Chrétien's chivalric romances, including Erec and Enide, Lancelot, Perceval, and Yvain, represent some of the best-regarded works of medieval literature. His use of structure, particularly in Yvain, has been seen as a step toward the modern novel. c. 1130 – c. 1180; died at about 49. Alive at the same time as Genghis Khan, Zhu Xi, Fibonacci, Bernard of Clairvaux, and Saladin. Wiki link