The Caroline University of Prague [antikvár]

The Caroline University of Prague is one of the most ancient institutions in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. It was founded by the Czech King Charles on April 7th, 1348, so that "your loyal inhabitants of the Bohemian realm", as the Foundation Charter says, "may not be constrained to beg for alms in foreign countries," and that they may "summon others from abroad and bid them share in their sweet pleasure". Thus the first university in central, northern and eastern Europe was founded in Prague and a year later Charles IV as Germán King confirmed all the rights that Román Emperors or Kings had granted to other universities. Prague University, therefore, was founded not as an imperial institution, as many Germán historians assert, but as an institution of the Bohemian Kingdom and it was alsó endowed from Bohemian resources. Shortly after its foundation all necessary steps were taken to start work at the University in all its faculties and there are records that the first graduation ceremony took place in 1349. A number of foreign scholars were summoned to Prague, but among the first professors we already find the names of native Bohemians, graduates of the Universities of Paris and Oxford. Prague University made a a good start, as is evident from the fact that it soon attracted many students from Bohemia, from the Holy Román Empire, Poland, Austria, and Hungary, and alsó from Francé, England and Lombardy. The life of theologians was concentrated in Prague University, as in other medieval universities, in the leading monasteries, while members of the other faculties gathered in the professors' priváté dwellings which were combined with students' rooms (bursa). The so-called colleges ("collegia") grew up by degrees. They were institutions endowed with their own estates which provided the income for a certain number of professors - collegiates, living and lecturing in the colleges. The first college was founded by Charles IV in 1366 (Collegium Caroli) for twelve professors of the Faculty of Arts. The Caroline College was alsó used for university assemblies, graduation ceremonies and rectorial elections.