Medieval Sourcebook:
Frederick II:
Lictere Generales, establishing the University of Naples, 1224
Translation of the LICTERAE GENERALES with which Emperor
Frederick the Second, established the University of Naples in 1224 (the first State
University in Europe),- see Davis R.H.C. History of Medieval Europe, London: 1957
page 373.
Frederick etc. to all the Archbishops, Bishops, priests counts, barons, judges,
executors of Justice, bailiffs, and all authorities of the Kingdom: With the favor of God
, thanks to Whom we live and reign, and to Whom we attribute all good deeds done by us, We
wish that in all parts of the Kingdom many will become wise and knowledgeable, by having
access to a fountain of knowledge, and a seminary of doctrine., so that they, made
proficient by study and observation ,will serve divine justice , and will become useful to
us, for the administration of Justice and of the laws which we urge everyone to obey . We
have therefore decided that in the most pleasant city of Naples there should be teaching
of the arts and of all disciplines , so that those who are starved for knowledge will find
it in our own kingdom, and will not be forced , in their search for knowledge, to become
pilgrims and to beg in foreign lands. We intend to provide for the good of those of our
subjects who, after having become learned, will hope to acquire wealth, since the
acquisition of what is good cannot be sterile, and will be followed by nobility, the halls
of the tribunals, wealth, and the grace and favors of friendship. Therefore we will invite
those scholars who are not without merit , and without doubt we will entrust them with the
administration of justice once they have become able to do so Therefore be happy and ready
for the teachings that scholars desire.
We will allow you to live in a place where everything is in abundance, where the homes
are sufficiently spacious, where the customs of everyone are affable, and where one can
easily transport by sea or land what is necessary to human life. To them we offer all
useful things, good conditions, for them we will look for teachers, promise goods and
offer prizes to those who are worthy of it. . We will keep them under the gaze of their
parents, we will free them from many labors, and from the necessity of long trips, almost
pilgrimages. We will protect them from the dangers of brigands who would deprive them of
their goods on the long roads. . Among the teachers that we have assigned to the School we
have Roffredo of Benevento, a faithful judge, professor of civil rights a, man of great
science and proven loyalty.
We order therefore to all of you who govern provinces and preside over administrations,
to let all these things known to all and everywhere , and to command, under danger of
persons and goods, that no student will dare leave the Kingdom for reasons of study and
that no one dare to teach in other places of the kingdom. And that, through their parents,
you order to those students who are outside the Kingdom, to return here by the Feast of St
Michael
These are the conditions that we offer to the students. First, that there will be
doctors and teachers in every Faculty. We assure the students, wherever they come from,
that they will be able to come , stay and return without any risk to their persons or
goods. The best houses will be given to them , and their rent will be at most two ounces
of gold. All the houses will be rented for a sum up to that amount, bases on an estimate
by two citizens and two students. There will be loans given to students, based on their
needs, by those who are designated to do so, with the pawning of the books, which will be
temporarily returned after receiving the guarantee from other students. The student will
not leave the city until he has paid back his debt, or has given back the pawns given to
him temporarily. Such pawns will not be requested by the creditor as long as the Students
remains in School. In civil trials all will have to appear before their teachers. As for
grain meat, fish wine and other things that students need, we will not make any rule since
the province has all these things in abundance and all will be sold to students as it is
to citizens. We invite the students to such a laudable and great task, we promise to
respect these conditions, to honor your persons and to order universally that you should
be honored by all
Syracuse 5 June 1224.
Comment
The students of Bologna ridiculed the idea of the University in Naples as " an
embryo unlikely to develop". Frederick tried to close the University of Bologna ( he
had great influence in the area around it through the Pope. } The Comune of Bologna
responded with laws that allowed the confiscation of the goods of teachers and students
who left that University . Frederick warned the Regents of Bologna that their laws to
avoid the exodus of students were "illusiones". He established new laws
forbidding to everyone to teach or study at Bologna, under the penalty of losing certain
fundamental rights, such as making their will or participating in public functions. He
also declared null and void all sentences made in Bologna He did not succeed in closing
Bologna because the Pope made peace with the local authorities.
Source.
© Mario Spagnuolo, 1998
Trans Mario Spagnuolo mspagnuolo@erols.com
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