University of Salamanca
The
University of Salamanca (
Spanish:
Universidad de Salamanca), located in the town of
Salamanca, west-northwest of
Madrid, is the second oldest university in
Spain (the first one is the university of
Palencia, now disappeared), and
one of the oldest in
Europe. It was founded by
Alfonso IX in
1218.
The university was founded as a "General School of the kingdom" by the
Leonese king Alfonso IX in
1218 to allow the Leonese people to study at home without having to leave for
Castile.
In the reign of
Ferdinand, King of
Aragon, and
Isabella, Queen of
Castile, the
Spanish government was revamped. In spite of the launch of the
Spanish Inquisition, expulsion of the Jews, and the conquest of
Granada, there was a certain professionalization of the apparatus of the state. This involved the employment of
letrados, lettered men, who were
licenciados (graduates) of the Universities, especially of Salamanca and Alcala de Henares. These men staffed the various councils of state, including, eventually, the
Consejo de Indias and
Casa de Contratacion, the two highest bodies in metropolitan Spain for the government of the
Spanish Empire in the New World.
|
Plateresque facade of the University |
While
Columbus was lobbying the King and Queen for a contract to seek out a western route to the Indies, he made his case to a council of geographers at the University of Salamanca. In the next century, the morality of
colonization in the
Indies was debated by the
School of Salamanca, along with questions of
economics,
philosophy and
theology.
By the end of the
Spanish Golden Age (
1550-
1650), the quality of academics in all Spanish universities had declined. Professors and students rarely attended class, the frequency of the awarding of degrees dropped, and their prestige receded.
However, the University gained prestige during the 20th century and today the Universidad de Salamanca is considered one of
Europe's premier research universities.
In conjunction with the
University of Cambridge, the University of Salamanca co-founded the
Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) in
1989.
|
The old library of the University of Salamanca |
Notable students and academic teachers include:
*
Fray Luis de León*
Francisco de Vitoria*Saint
John of the Cross*
Antonio de Nebrija*
Luis de Góngora*
Hernán Cortés*
Gaspar de Guzmán y Pimentel, Count-Duke of Olivares*
Pedro Gómez Labrador, Marquis of Labrador*
Jules Cardinal Mazarin*
Pedro Calderón de la Barca*
Miguel de Unamuno*
Pedro Salinas*
Adolfo Suárez*
School of Salamanca*
University website*
University website in English
