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.

History

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. 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.

Notable students and academic teachers include:

External links

Universities and colleges in Spain | Pontifical Universities | Roman Catholic universities and colleges in Europe | 1218 establishments | Educational institutions established in the 13th century

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History

See also

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