College (the Middle Ages)

medieval colleges of the end of the 12th century at the 15th century

The colleges accommodated, in the Universités, only one minority of students. With knowknowing in 1450 a student out of 10 with Paris, 1 out of 6 with Cambridge and 1 out of 4 with Toulouse. It is different according to the cities, but that relates to always only one minority of students. However, they played a big role. They are at the origin of the places of lodging in favor of poor students who were assured the lodging and cover, but which attended the same courses as the other students. Their founders are Laïc S (kings, queens, large aristocrats…) but they can be also ecclesiastics. These foundations have a spiritual and charitable objective: to ensure the maintenance with student's communities which will work for the Salut of the founders. The number of these colleges was very variable according to the places and the cities. , Forty are created in Paris, a dozen in Cambridge and 8 with Oxford. There were rather many foundations in the southernmost university towns, in particular in Toulouse, but also with Bologna, Montpellier and Avignon.
On the other hand, creations of colleges are not very frequent in the Germanic university towns and in a more general way in the towns of Central Europe. At the 13th century, the colleges often accommodate students in art or theology whereas with the S, the foundations are addressed more largely to the students in right; that is to be put in connection with the success of the studies of right to very the époque.
These colleges gradually parallel to will become places of teaching the universities and that especially at the 15th century.

First colleges, genesis of the institution

One does not employ the word of college at the 13th century; this word was employed only tardily. One speaks rather about house or also “of hostel”. The appearance of the colleges in Paris is former to that of the university, they appear as of the end of the 12th century.

This movement of foundations is due mainly on the initiative of rich person benefactors. The concern of the founders of these colleges enracine in the will to ensure the material existence of the poor students and to allow them to make their studies in their guaranteeing a lodging and a purse. The small colleges meet a social need, but they did not leave an important documentation, one has some that limited traces. One of oldest was created in Angers with the whole beginning of the 12th century in 1116. This college intended for 13 schoolboys of the city.

The first foundations are done in Paris. The oldest college is that of Eighteen founded in 1180 (see: College of the Eighteen). It was founded on the initiative of an English merchant, Jose of London which at the time of its return of Jerusalem buys a room close to the schools of Notre-Dame where it decides to place 18 students and makes a donation with this fin.
On this model, other rich person benefactors will found in Paris of the colleges, of which the count de Dreux in 1186 who founds the Saint-Thomas college or even ecclesiastics like Robert d' Harcourt, archdeacon of Rouen which founds the college of Harcourt (see: College of Harcourt) in 1280 for Norman students (24 on the whole) i.e. originating in his native land. Same manner, the cardinal of Cholet founds itself the college of Cholet (see: College of Cholets) intended for the stock-brokers of Amiens and Roubaix.

Also appear in Paris, in first half of the 13th century, the regular colleges. Among these colleges the foundations of the Beggars appear. Convent-colleges ( studia ) are founded very early since 1215-1219 in Paris. These establishments lodge the Brothers and have schools. Other religious orders deal with founding colleges: one can quote the college Saint-Bernard for the Order cistercian or the Collège of founded Cluny in 1260.

The particular case of the foundation of Robert de Sorbon: so certain colleges are only of simple foundations intended to place some poor students, others have broader concerns which are at the same time nuns and intellectual. It is the case for the foundation of Robert de Sorbon. This foundation is difficult to date, ranging between 1255 and 1258. Robert de Sorbon, chaplain of Louis IX, reserve his college with the secular ones intended for a score of students in theology subjected to a well defined Discipline. The statutes of 1270 impose the joint meals, an assistance day laborer with the Offices and an austere rule of life. Robert de Sorbon is incontestably animated by a teaching concern which overrides the charitable concern. It is a question of offering satisfactory conditions of study. The college is not however a place of teaching. The stock-brokers receive a teaching given within the framework of the university. Very quickly, Robert de Sorbon is concerned with equip the library well with his college to offer good conditions of study to the stock-brokers.

The foreign students in Paris have their own college, they are for example the college of Denmark at the 13th century, that of Sweden at the 13th century always and the movement continues at the 14th century. Elsewhere in France, there are only few colleges which are founded because there are yet only few universities at the 13th century. The two first in southernmost France are Toulouse and Montpellier.

Concerning England, right from the start, they are reserved to the students of the higher faculties subjected to the longest studies and most expensive. Their foundation is later than in France, the first college appears in 1264, it acts of Merton College. There is between the two countries a rather significant chronological shift. In Cambridge, the first college is founded in 1284 by the bishop of Ely. In Oxford between the S, 9 of the 10 colleges were rested by ecclesiastics and all are under ecclesiastical authority. In Cambridge, the foundations are the fact of laic founders. The external authority is that of the Chancelier of the university. They are autonomous institutions directed by the assembly of the stock-brokers. The latter will co-opt themselves, even if it were expected that it is an external authority which indicates them. The stock-brokers take an active part in the life of the college. At the end of the 13th century, there is still a hardly outlined network of colleges. None the secular colleges shelters teaching, they shelter only one small minority of students. These communities of stock-brokers receive teaching at the university.

With the 14th century, multiplication of the foundations

The situation in France

The colleges founded in France are increasingly numerous with S. the foundations of secular colleges multiply in particular in Paris. In 1400, one counts in Paris about fifty colleges. But they are not founded in the only university towns, one sees some being created in the capitulary cities as in Soissons for example. Two colleges are created there at the 14th century for 100 schoolboys on the whole, recruited in the family of the founder or among the children originating in the country of the founder. The stock-brokers attend the capitulary schools of the ville.
Most important in Paris east that of Navarre.

Jeanne de Navarre, Champagne countess and queen of France made register in its will of 1305 its project of college (see: College of Navarre). She wished that these students profit from a roof and a purse. But what is new, it is initially to found an important college by the number of the stock-brokers since one envisages to accommodate 70 stock-brokers including 20 in grammar, 30 in art and 20 others in theology. In addition, she wanted that its college is a place of teaching. She provided that 3 teaching Masters would be paid to make courses with the stock-brokers in grammar, art and theology. She makes a hierarchisation of the trainings between grammar and art different from the university. The institution is installation in 1315, but it does not correspond to the wishes of its creative since there is no teaching. It is the first founded royal college in Paris. It is necessary to await the end of the 14th century so that the project is in fact carried out. The college is placed under the authority of a Recteur itself under authority of the Doyen and the Maîtres in theology of the faculty of Paris.

The kings during the 14th century are interested more and more in the colleges. Jean II the Good, the first in 1353, makes pass under its direct authority a college (the Mignon college) that it is with regard to recruitment, the administration or the management of the goods of the college. It is a new initiative which testifies to the interest of the royal capacity towards these institutions. Charles V will reaffirm royal protection with respect to the universities and designs a true policy aiming at placing the colleges under royal control. The college of Navarre drew its attention and a series of ordinances is produced between 1369 and 1374 when Charles V grants the capacity of collation of the purses (i.e. their attribution) and henceforth carries the title of higher governor of the college. The college of Navarre becomes the center of the university worship of holy Louis (which is patron saint of the royal dynasty). It is as many signs which show the interest of the king for this type of institutions.
The main thing adviser of Charles V, Jean Dormans (which was cardinal) founds a college. This foundation is confirmed by the king, this college is intended to receive students in right then intended to serve the capacity. The royal supervision continues starting from Charles V. It is under Philippe VI, between 1328 and 1350, that the greatest number of colleges is founded. The founders of these colleges were often people of the royal entourage, one can quote in particular much of founders resulting from the council of the king. It is the case of the college of the Ave of Maria. That testifies to the will of the king to exert a real supervision on the various Parisian colleges.

At the 13th century for the other colleges, the foundations are fewer than in Paris. At the 14th century, same manner, the foundations are always fewer. They continue however and in particular in Toulouse. They are is rested by ecclesiastics like the college of Périgord founded in Toulouse by Hélie de Talleyrand, bishop of Limoges for students in right. One also notes the appearance of colleges in Montpellier for the medical students, but also in Avignon and Cahors.

Foundations of the colleges in the remainder of the Occident

There too, a shown royal interest is noted. It is the case for example in England with Cambridge where the first royal college is King' S Hall which as the college of Navarre shelters students in art as well as students of higher faculties. In first half of the 14th century, there are other foundations of colleges in Cambridge which counts 8 in 1400 of them. The founders come primarily from the high aristocracy, of the entourage royal.
The Halls in England are simply places of residence installed in rented houses and where the students pay. That does not have thus anything to see with the collèges.
In Italy, there are well some foundations of colleges as in Bologna and Padoue, but the movement remains very limited. One can quote in Bologna the college of Spain rested by a Spanish cardinal; in Padoue, the college was rested by a middle-class man for students in right. For Spain, the first college is founded with Salamanque at the end of the 14th century by the bishop of the city for students in canon law (6). A large college is founded at the beginning of the 15th century by the archbishop of Seville, it is Colegio Mayor for the canonists and the theologists, but it functions only as from 1417.

Evolution of the institution at the 15th century

At the 15th century, the newest aspect is the fact that in a specific way initially then regular since 1430, one sees the colleges sheltering tasks of teaching.

In France

In the French case, the project of Jeanne de Navarre finally will be born. Starting from the end of the 14th century, there are Masters in grammar, art and theology. This college becomes an institution of teaching, the Masters teach in their schools for the stock-brokers of the college. Inside even of the college, they ensure of the repetitions, direct discussions in complement of the courses. Under the reign of Charles VI, the activity of teaching becomes very dynamic with the college of Navarre with the creation of new offices of which that of under-Master of the lessons. The under-Master of the lessons organizes the arguments the afternoon… There exists also a under-Master of grammar. The framing is packed and teaching opens also n the other hand to the not-stock-brokers of their assistance, they must pay an amount of money. This college will become a center of brilliant teaching. It is only when the civil war into 1418 occurs that the teaching of the college is called into question in particular by the plundering of the bibliothèque.
Same manner, the large Parisian colleges become centers of teaching of which that of Robert de Sorbon. But these colleges cannot distribute the ranks.

In England

One observes the same evolution as in France. One attends the installation of activity of teaching in the colleges as in Paris. This activity of teaching develops with an activity of tutorat. These tutors can be stock-brokers of the college. One organizes arguments in the colleges, in particular for the students in art who prepare with the baccalaureat. One admits the external students against payment. This tutorat opens the way with a true teaching within the colleges without however one not being able to attest before the 16th century of a regular teaching. At the beginning, there is not in the colleges of will of competition of the university, but as from 1500, the colleges eclipse the university.

In the actual position of the studies, it is impossible to make a synthesis on the problem of the colleges. However, there are evolutions in France and rather clear England. The colleges are simple places of lodging at the beginning, at the 14th century, they are institutions rested more and more by and for mediums close to the royal capacity. At the end of the 14th century and the 15th century still, largest of them become the places of teaching of a minority of privileged stock-brokers. At the end of the 15th century, approximately 15% of the students in Toulouse and Paris are in colleges against 10% in Oxford. These stock-brokers are less and less recruited among the poor students. They are very often compatriots or family members of the founder to which are added students external at the institution likely to pay the courses.

Random links: