University of Paris

The historic University of Paris (French: Université de Paris) first appeared in the second half of the 12th century, but was in 1970 reorganized as 13 autonomous universities (University of Paris I–XIII). The university is often referred to as the Sorbonne or La Sorbonne after the collegiate institution (Collège de Sorbonne) founded about 1257 by Robert de Sorbon, but the university as such is older and was never completely centered on the Sorbonne. Of the 13 current successor universities, the first four have a presence in Sorbonne, and three include Sorbonne in their names. The 13 universities still stand under a common chancellor, the Rector of the Académie of Paris, with offices in the Sorbonne.

Origin and organization of the medieval university

Similarly to the other of the earliest medieval universities (University of Bologna, University of Oxford, University of Coimbra, University of Salamanca), but in opposition to later ones (such as the University of Prague or the University of Heidelberg), the University of Paris was never established through a specific foundation act, such as a royal charter or papal bull. It grew up in the latter part of the 12th century around the Notre Dame Cathedral as a corporation similar to other medieval corporations, such as guilds of merchants or artisans. The medieval Latin term universitas actually had the more general meaning of a guild, and the university of Paris was known as a universitas magistrorum et scholarium (a guild of masters and scholars).

Related Topics:
Medieval universities - University of Bologna - University of Oxford - University of Coimbra - University of Salamanca - University of Prague - University of Heidelberg - Royal charter - Papal bull - 12th century - Notre Dame Cathedral - Corporation - Guild

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The university, which (together with that in Bologna) became the model for all later medieval universities had four faculties, of Arts, Medicine, Law and Theology. The Faculty of Arts was the lowest in rank, but also the largest as students had to graduate there to be admitted to one of the higher faculties. The students there were divided into four nationes according to language or regional origin, those of France, Normandy, Picard, and England, the last one of which later came to be known as the Alemannian (German) nation. Recruitment to each nation was wider than the names might imply and the English-German nation in fact included students from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.

Related Topics:
Faculties - Arts - Medicine - Law - Theology - Nationes

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