The Socio-economic Role of Medieval Parisian Colleges Through the ‘Studium Parisiense’ Database

Abstract

Studium Parisiense is a database which intends to identify all the students and masters of Paris university. With nearly 20000 files, it may be half-way. We have tested this results in exploring the impact of the college system in medieval Paris. A chronological trend appears: the development of the college system in the 14th century is a more efficient solution to accommodate the growing academic population than the creation of the Augustinian canons houses (12th century), and of the mendicant convents (13th century). On the other hand, both in terms of international recruitment and of literary outputs, Paris colleges were inferior institutions, with the exception of the Sorbonne. However, it helped to provide better conditions of study and to discipline the student’s population on the left banks of the Seine, and by the end of the fifteenth century, Paris colleges had increased their reputation and attracted again European students.

college; university; Paris; mendicant convents; students