The University of Bologna: Europe's First University

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the founding and early history of the University of Bologna, the oldest continuously operating university in the world. They discuss how a spontaneous gathering of students and teachers in the 11th century grew into a formal institution that revolutionized education and law. Lucas explains the unique student-run model, where scholars hired professors and set rules, and highlights key figures like Irnerius, who revived Roman law studies, and Gratian, who compiled canon law. The conversation covers the university's curriculum, the role of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in granting privileges, and the lasting impact on European intellectual life. They touch on the university's famous alumni, including Dante Alighieri and Thomas Becket, and how the model spread across Europe. The episode offers a vivid picture of medieval academia, with its rivalries, rituals, and the birth of the modern university system. #UniversityOfBologna #Irnerius #Gratian #MedievalUniversity #RomanLaw #CanonLaw #FrederickBarbarossa #DanteAlighieri #ThomasBecket #StudiumGenerale #Bologna #MedievalEducation #HistoryOfEducation #ItalianHistory #MedievalEurope #Scholasticism #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo