Sorbonne

Sorbonne is a complex of universities in France, in Paris. These are universities like the University Panthéon-Sorbonne, Sorbonne Nouvelle University and Paris Descartes University.

Sorbonne is one of the largest universities in the world. The story begins before the twelfth century, but in 1215 the University of Paris was formed, when several church schools unite and so form one of the first universities in Europe.

Initially the university had four faculties - medicine, theology, canon law and liberal arts. In the thirteenth century it was one of the largest universities in Europe. After the strike of 1229-1231, the university gets the right to local autonomy, subject only to the pope.

In 1257, theologian Robert de Sorbon, cleric of King Louis IX, known as a saint, based in Paris the theological college for children from poor families. Initially, the College is intended for sixteen students and should have four children from each nation having the most representatives from Parisian students. They were Frenchmen, Germans, British and Italians.

Soon, however, it obtained the ability to take thirty-six students. In less than fifty years, the reputation of this college darkened the glory of many theological schools in Europe.

In 1554, the college was called the Sorbonne, in honor of its founder and it was united with the theological faculty of the University of Paris. Theology is studied here for ten years and the last test is represented as follows: from six in the morning until six in the evening, students are subjected to questions from twenty tests, which are changed every half hour.

Students had the right to rest and, but over the twelve hours of the test they were allowed neither to drink nor eat. Those who managed to pass the test received the title docteur en Sorbonne and received a special black hat. Sorbonne’s reputation grew so much that its leaders said recently that the title of doctor will be given only one member of each of the monastic orders. In the seventeenth century the name Sorbonne was spread over the entire University of Paris.

Sorbonne has kept the tenets and zealous followers of the superstitions of the Middle Ages. When Joan of Arc fell into the hands of the British and was accused of conspiring with the devil, the Sorbonne sent praise for the deep thought and wisdom of the Duke investigator Bedford. When Joan was burned at the stake, the Sorbonne delivered a thanksgiving service.

During the Reformation, Sorbonne represented the moderate wing of European Catholicism. Sorbonne prints not only sacred books, but also books from Latin and Italian authors. Its printing press appeared in France in 1469 under the auspices of the Sorbonne.

Before the Jesuit order was officially released in France, the Paris Parliament turned for advice to the Sorbonne. Sorbonne expressed a negative opinion about the Jesuits. The Pope ordered the letter from Sorbonne to be publicly burned. In 1542 the Sorbonne obtained the right from Parliament to draw lists of books to be banned. Such lists were published in 1544, 1547, 1551 and 1656.

In the eighteenth century, Sorbonne was a rich institution. It ceases to exist as a theological school in 1790. In 1808 its buildings by order of Napoleon are submitted to the University of Paris. In 1972, the Sorbonne was reorganized into thirteen universities. Four of them are located in the historical buildings of the Sorbonne, the rest are in other districts of Paris and its suburbs.