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Though famous all through theMiddle Ages for itscathedral andcloisterschools and for eminent scholars —Albertus Magnus,St. Thomas Aquinas, andDuns Scotus — Cologne had nouniversity until near the end of the fourteenth century, whenUrban VI, at the instance of the Town Council, issued (21 May, 1388) theBull of foundation. Theuniversity was inaugurated the following year with twenty-onemagistri and 737 matriculated students. Further privileges were granted byBoniface IX (1389, 1394), Duke Wilhelm von Geldern (1396), and Emperor Frederick III (1442); while special favour was shown theuniversity byGregory XII (1406),Nicholas V (1447), andPius II; the last-namedPope addressed his "Bull of Retractation" (In minoribus agentes) to the Rector and University of Cologne (26 April, 1463). Theuniversity was represented at the Councils ofConstance and Basle, and was involved in the controversy regarding the authority of council andpope. It took sides with theantipopeFelix V, but eventually submitted toNicholas V. TheRenaissance movement met with opposition atCologne, though among its professors were thehumanists Caesarius, Buschius,Glareanus, Gratius, Phrissemius, and Sobius. During the same period may be mentioned thetheologians Arnold of Tongres andHoogstraaten, O.P. All these were involved in the conflict which centred about Reuchlin and which did theuniversity great harm. The "Epistolae obscurorum virorum" were directed against thetheologians of Cologne. At the time of theReformation, but few of the professors joined theProtestant movement; theuniversity as a whole was strong in its defence of theCatholicFaith and some of its students, as Cochlæus andEck, were afterwards foremost champions of theChurch. Failing on the other hand to introduce the reforms needed in its own work and organization, theuniversity declined rapidly during the sixteenth century. The vicissitudes ofwar, lack at means, and withdrawal of its students reduced it to a nominal existence in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. In 1786 the founding of theUniversity of Bonn decided thefate of Cologne, which was unable to withstand its more vigorous rival. The French troops entered Cologne in October, 1794; in April, 1796, theuniversity was closed.
RASHDALL, Universities of Europe in the Middle Ages (Oxford, 1895, II, 25); BIANCO, Die alte Universitaet Koeln (Cologne, 1855), KEUSSEN, Die Matrikel d. Universitaet Koeln 1389 bis 1559 (Bonn, 1892); DENIFLE, Die Universitaeten des Mittelalters (Berlin, 1885).
APA citation.Pace, E.(1908).University of Cologne. InThe Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04120a.htm
MLA citation.Pace, Edward."University of Cologne."The Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 4.New York: Robert Appleton Company,1908.<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04120a.htm>.
Transcription.This article was transcribed for New Advent by John Fobian.In memory of Dorothy Copeland.
Ecclesiastical approbation.Nihil Obstat. Remy Lafort, Censor.Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.
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