He was born close to the end of 15th century and lived up to the beginning of 17th century - in Raajaapur, UP, in 1488 AD (Vikram Samvat 1544) or maybe in 1532 AD. He died in 1623 AD (Vikram Samvat 1680). Thus he lived for 136 years.

His father's name was Aatmaa Raam Dubey and  mother's name was Hulasee Baaee. He was a great scholar of Vaidik literature. He had no children so he worshipped Aanjaneya. By his blessings he got a beautiful boy. Instead of crying he was born saying "Raam, Raam", so he was called Raam Bolaa (who spoke Raam). His father named him Tulaaraam. When Tulaaraam was only a few days old his mother died, his father also abandoned him. The story goes like this that Aatmaa Raam cast the horoscope of his son and found that everything was good but the child's birth star - he was born in Mool Nakshatra. So he left the town, and the poor child was brought up by his grandmother. After this he grew up at the mercy of the neighbors. He subsisted on whatever he got. In one of his songs he has mentioned that how difficult was for him to get even four grains of gram. After a few years, his grandmother also died, so he was completely dependent on neighbors. He stayed in a temple of Aanjaneya and subsisted on Prasaad offered to him.

At that time Narahari Daas was a great scholar discoursing on religious issues. One he came to Raajaapur and stayed in the same temple where Tulaaraam lived. Tulaaraam listened to his discourse daily and was greatly impressed by him. Narahari Daas also was very impressed by him. When he came to know that he was an orphan, he asked him, "Will you be with me?" Tulaaraam touched his feet, his eyes filled with tears. When Narahari Daas left the city, Tulaaraam also went with him. His duty was to sing Raam's Bhajan before the discourse began. Narahari Daas taught him many religious issues, languages (Sanskrit, Praakrit). Thus they traveled for 14 years and came to Soron in UP. By now Tulaaraam sang more melodiously than his Guru, discoursed better on Raamaayan and also composed poems.

How Tulasee became a Kavi?

Tulasee Daas has been a great Kavi (poet) of all times in India. An interesting story is in vogue. Narahari Daas himself married him to a beautiful girl named Ratnaavalee, daughter of a Braahman, Deenbandhu Paathak. Tulaaraam loved her very much. Once her brother came to see her. On his insistence she went to her parent's house in the absence of Tulaaraam giving the key of her house to a neighbor asking to tell her husband that she was going to her parents' house and would come back in a couple of days. Tulaaraam could not stay at home without her even for a moment. It was Shraavan month, rain was pouring in heavily but he did not stay back and went to Gangaa's bank and asked a ferryman to take him across the river. Gangaa was flooding, the ferryman plainly refused to cross the river in such a weather.

Then he himself swam the river against the stream and soon reached his wife's home. He hesitated to go there in the daytime, so he decided to go there in the night secretly. He reached there in the night and chose to enter the house from the back through climbing the wall. By chance a dead snake was hung from the roof. Tulasee thought it was a rope, so he climbed up the roof holding that rope and met his wife.

As he met his wife, she got very happy to see him and asked him how did he come there. Tulasee told her that he came with the help of the rope hung from the roof. The wife said - "Oh, That was not a rope, that was a dead snake. And you came by holding that dead snake? Do you love me so much that you could not wait for my coming back and you came to see me secretly and you came up the roof by holding a dead snake? If you had loved Shree Raam even the 1/100th part of this love, you would have got Param Gati." These words struck his mind and he immediately returned without looking back even once.

Then he set off to Chitrakoot. The Earth was his bed and sky was his roof. Now he longed to see Raam. After some time he left Chitrakoot as he thought that he would not be able to see Raam there. He went to Ayodhyaa, but still he did not have any vision of Raam. Suddenly he remembered that Aanjaneya should be helpful for him to meet Raam.

Darshan of Hanumaan and Raam to Tulasee
Read this story here also

So Tulasee went to Kaashee. There is a temple of Aanjaneya there, he made it his home. In the morning he took bath in Gangaa, offer water to Vishwanaath and discourse in the evening. When he used to come back from his bath in the morning, he used to pour the remaining water from his daily worship in the root of a tree. By chance there lived a Brahm Raakshas on that tree. Daily water poured by Tulasee satisfied his needs, so pleased by his services, one day he appeared before him and asked him to ask for anything as blessings. By now Tulasee became a devout Bhakt of Shree Raam so he just wanted to meet Raam. That is what he asked for from that Raakshas. Although the Raakshas himself could not help him much in this regard, but told him that only Hanumaan could help him in this regard.

He told him that there came a leper, who was in fact Hanumaan, to hear his discourse whom he might have not noticed. He was first to come there and was last to leave that place. So he suggested to approach him. Tulasee went there and held his feet and did not leave them until he told him the way to meet Raam. Then Hanumaan had to tell him the way. He told him that Raam and Lakshman would pass soon from that way, so he should just wait for them. He waited and waited but did not see them. Two people did pass from there on horseback but since they were not looking as he wanted to see them as he imagined about them, he could not notice them.

After a while Aanjaneya appeared and asked him whether he saw Raam and Lakshman, but he said, "No, Please have mercy on me. Show me Raam." Aanjaneya asked him - "Didn't you see two princes on horseback?" Tulasee got very sad that his own eyes deceived him. He again prayed Aanjaneya. Aanjaneya told him that on a certain day Raam and Lakshman would pass through Chitrakoot Ghaat. On asking how he would recognize them, Hanumaan assured him that he would give him the hint when it would happen.

So one day when Raam and Lakshman came there, they went to to Tulasee to have Tilak of Gopee Chandan (sandal paste). Tulasee saw two young men, one was of dark complexion and the other one was of fair complexion, coming to him and asking for applying Tilak of Chandan. So Tulasee took the chin in his hand to put Tilak on His forehead, but as he took it in his hand, he forgot everything. Then Raam Himself took Chandan in His hand and applied Tilak on His own as well as on Tulasee's forehead.

At the same time a parrot perched on a nearby tree sang this that there are many sages assembled in Chitrakoot, Tulasee is preparing Chandan and Raam is applying Tilak on his forehead. Then only Tulasee realized that He was none other than Raam with Lakshman. He embrace both of them. Hanumaan read this couplet to Tulasee -

Chitrakoot Ke Ghaat Par, Bhaee Santan Kee Bheer;
Tulasee Daas Chandan Ghisen, Tilak Let Raghubeer.

Hearing this Tulasee immediately fell on Raam's feet and got blessed by Him. After that he wrote Raamaayan. He was 90 years old at that time.
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One more interesting incident is famous regarding his devout belief in Raam. Once he heard that there are very beautiful temples in Mathuraa and Vrindaa Van, so he came to see them. After reaching there he found that all temples were of Krishn and they had Krishn's idols in them. He got very disappointed and standing in front of one statue, he read a couplet whose meaning was "I don't know you. My head will bow only when you will appear before me carrying bow and arrow." It is said that Krishn's idol changed into Raam's idol carrying a bow and arrow, and then only Tulasee bowed his head to it.

Kaah Kahon Chhabi Aajuki Bhale Bane Ho Naath
Tualsee Mastak Tab Nabai Jab Dhanush Baan Lo Haath.
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He has written several books. Scholars say that he has written 37 books, but only 12 are available now, six of them are --

(1) Shree Raam Charit Maanas - Raam's life in Avadhee.
(2) Vinaya Patrikaa - Book of petitions, a series of hymns and prayers of which the first 43 are addressed to the lower gods, forming Raam's court and attendants, and the remainder, Nos. 44 to 279, to Raam Himself.
(3) Geetaavalee - also in seven Kaand, aiming at the illustration of the tender aspect of the Lord's life; the meters are adapted for singing,
(4) Kavitaavalee - history of Raam in the Kavitta, Ghanaaksharee, Chaupaaee and Savaiyaa meters; like the Raam Charit Maanas, it is divided into seven Kaand or cantos, and is devoted to setting forth the majestic side of Raam's character,
(5) Dohaavalee - 573 miscellaneous Dohaa and Sorathaa verses

Besides, he has written Hanumaan Chaaleesaa, Hanumaan Baahuk, Bajarang Baan, Hanumaanaashtak, Hanumaan Badavaanal Stotra, also.
He wrote one Raamaayan in Sanskrit also in 1631 AD.

It is said that once Tulasee had a lots of pain in his arm. When the pain became unbearable he prayed Hanumaan by writing Hanumaan Baahuk and Hanumaan cured his arm pain.

Hanumaan Protected Tulasee

Tulasee was not only famous and popular among Hindu, but also among Muslims. Many Muslims were his followers. His popularity reached the ears of Jahaangeer also, so he wanted to see him. Tulasee went to Aagaraa to see him and he greatly respected him and said - "I have heard that you perform miracles. Let me also see one." Tulasee replied - "I do not do miracles, all powers belong to Shree Raam." Now that Emperor wouldn't let him go until he had shown a miracle. Tulasee didn't do miracles, so he sat quietly. The Emperor imprisoned him in the fort in Saleem Garh (Gwaalior). Tulasee thought, "Everything is Aanjaneya's will." and sat down with folded hands. Suddenly a band of monkeys burst into the palace and entered queens' apartments. They created a havoc there. It was only after Tulasee was released, the Emperor could be free from their menace.

Raam Lakshman Protect the Temple

Pleased with His devotion, once Raam had appeared in front of Tulase Daas and blessed him. After receiving the blessing, Tulasee Daas erected a temple dedicated to Raam, just by collecting donations. He would sit in front of the statue of Raam, singing holy songs (Bhajans). The people of Vaaraanasee loved and honored Him. They showered him with rich offerings of gold and silver. He would keep all the offerings in the temple.

One night, two thieves from the neighboring city, broke into the temple. They packed up as much of the silver and gold as they could and started to leave. As they turned around, they saw two men, armed with bows and arrows, standing outside the door. Seeing them, the thieves rushed to another door. To their amazement, they found the same two men standing there. Instantly, they turned and ran to yet another door, but the same two men were standing there too! Trembling with fear, the two thieves took the stolen goods and put them back where they belonged. After doing so, they tried to run away again. But alas, outside every door they found the very same guards, with their bows and arrows. Scared and helpless, the thieves decided to spend the night in the temple.

In the morning when Tulasee Daas arrived and opened the temple doors, he saw the two thieves there. As soon as the thieves saw Tulasee Daas, they fell at his feet and told him the whole story. As Tulasee Daas listened to their story, He knew at once that the two men guarding the doors were none other than Raam and his brother, Lakshman.

The two thieves cried: "O holy man, We are wicked. We have committed many sins. Let us serve You, so that we too, may become good men." Tulasee Daas replied, "You are truly blessed, for you have seen the Lord and His brother! Live in peace here." From that day on, the doors of the temple were kept open day and night, as no one would come to steal from the temple protected by Raam Himself.