Jean de Bourgogne (John IV, Duke of Brabant), founder of the University of Louvain in 1425: Primus Academiae Conditor fuit Ioannes Quartus, Lotharingiae, Brabantiae, et Limburgiae Dux, Marchio Sacri Imperii.[2]Portrait of the Pope Martin V, author of the bulla confirming on December 9, 1425, the creation of the University of Louvain: à Johanne IV. Brabantiae Duce An. 1425. fundata et à Martino V. P. M. [pontifex maximus] An. seq. 5. Id. dec. Confirmata (Founded by John IV, Duke of Brabant, the year 1425 and confirmed by Martin V, Supreme Pontiff, the 5th day of the Ides of December following).[3]Albertus Risaeus (1510–1574), participated in the pro-Protestant movement at the University of Louvain. He fled to the United Provinces.Michel de Bay (Michaël Baius) (1513–1589), professor and rector of the University of Louvain, founder of the doctrine of "Baïanisme", precursor of Jansenism.Cornelius Jansen, the father of Jansenism and a rector and professor of the old University of Leuven.Febronius (Johann Nikolaus von Hontheim) (1701–1790), founder of Febronianism.Charles Lambrechts (1753–1825), professor of canon law (1777), rector of the University of Louvain in 1786 and freemason member of the lodge "the true and perfect Harmony" in Mons and Minister of Justice of the French Republic from 3 Vendémiaire year VI to 2 Thermidor year VII (24 September 1797 – 20 July 1799).[4][5]
The name was in medieval Latin Studium generale Lovaniense[6] or Universitas Studii Lovaniensis,[7] in humanistical LatinAcademia Lovaniensis,[8] and most usually,[9]Universitas Lovaniensis,[10] in Dutch Universiteyt Loven[11] and also Hooge School van Loven.[12]
It is commonly referred to as the University of Leuven or University of Louvain, sometimes with the qualification "old" to distinguish it from the Catholic University of Leuven (established 1835 in Leuven). This might also refer to a short-lived but historically important State University of Leuven, 1817–1835.
Pope Martin V issued a papal bull dated 9 December 1425 founding the University in Leuven as a Studium Generale. This university was institutionally independent of the local ecclesiastical hierarchy.
From the founding of the university to its abolition in 1797, Latin was the sole language of instruction.[15]
What remained of the university's movables and books were requisitioned for the École centrale [fr] in Brussels.[20] This was the immediate official and legal successor and inheritor of the old University, under the laws in force at the time. It was in turn closed down in 1802.
Cultural role and influence
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the University of Leuven was until its closure a great centre of Jansenism[21] in Europe. To shake off this reputation,[22] the faculty of theology thrice declared its adherence to the papal condemnation of Jansenist beliefs in the papal bull Unigenitus (1713)[23] but without effect.[21]
The University of Louvain, with Baïus and Jansenius, the cradle of Jansenism and remained, during the 17th and 18th centuries until its closure, the bastion[24] and the hub[25] of Augustinian theology[26] known as Jansenism, in Europe, with professors like Jansenius, Petrus Stockmans, Johannes van Neercassel, Josse Le Plat and especially the famous Van Espen and his disciple Febronius, and as Henri Francotte[27] says: "Jansenism reigned supreme at the University of Louvain”.
This fidelity to the spirit of Van Espen remained alive in the University of Louvain until its abolition in 1797, as evidenced by what Charles Lambrechts wrote[28] in 1818, former rector magnificus and successor to the chair of canon law of Van Espen : "The encroachments of the Catholic clergy and their claims were so vexatious that, at a time when their religion was dominant, no other remedy had been found for their abuse of power except the appeals in question. This is what prompted the famous Van Espen to write, at the age of eighty, his treatise De recursu ad principem, in order to put a barrier against the ever-recurring abuses of clerical jurisdictions; but this virtuous ecclesiastic, who distributed to the poor all the revenues of the chair of canon law which he occupied at the University of Louvain, was soon obliged to have recourse to appeal as an abuse for himself; still, this remedy could not save him entirely from the persecution of intolerant priests. Loaded with years, glory and infirmities, he was compelled to seek shelter in Holland from their vexations; he soon died in Amsterdam in feelings of piety and resignation, after having employed his life in defending the discipline and customs of the primitive church, of which he was the most zealous supporter".
Subsequent institutions
The first attempt to found a successor university in the nineteenth-century was the secular State University of Leuven, 1817–1835, where a dozen professors of the old University taught.[29] This was followed by a private Catholic university,[30] the Catholic University of Leuven, established in Leuven in 1835 (initially the Catholic University of Mechlin, 1834–1835). This institution was founded with the intention of restoring the confessionally Catholic pre-Revolutionary traditions of learning in Leuven.[31][32] In 1968 this split to form the two current institutions: the Dutch language Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and the French language Université catholique de Louvain.
Library
From the founding of the university in 1425 up until 1636, there was no official library of the university. Very likely the students had access to manuscripts and printed books preserved in the homes of their professors or colleges.
In 1636, however, a university library was founded in the Cloth hall, previously the seat of the cloth weavers' guild,[33] and was enlarged in 1725 in a baroque style.
This library, with its various additions, was transferred in 1797 by Charles Antoine de La Serna Santander to the Central School, the official continuation of the old university.[34] Wauthier, head of office of the department of Dyle and the ex-Jesuit De la Serna Santander, librarian of the Central School of Brussels, were responsible for the application of this measure. On October 26, 1797, they went with Michel-Marcel Robyns, receiver of national domains, to the municipal administration of Louvain, to notify it,[35] while its most precious works and manuscripts were deposited in Paris among the national treasures of the National Library.
It is also very likely that on the occasion of the troubles of the wars of this time, many precious works and documents surreptitiously followed an unofficial route, sometimes with the high aim of saving them from disaster,[36] sometimes with the sordid goal of profiting from it.
In 1797, much of what remained of this library was sent to the Central School of Brussels, established as the official replacement of the abolished university, although its most precious books and manuscripts were deposited in Paris at the National Library of France.[33] The library of the Central School of Brussels came to number about 80,000 volumes, which later became part of the Library of Brussels, and then the Royal Library of Belgium.
The rich archives of the old University of Leuven, after its suppression by the law of the French Republic, so as all the other Universities of the French Republic, were transferred to a "Commission in charge of the management of the goods of the abolished university in Leuven", set up in 1797 and active until 1813.[37] They passed to the National Archives of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and ultimately to the National Archives of Belgium.
Although the archives of the old University of Leuven have been recognized as world heritage[38] by UNESCO, until today there is no complete history of the old University of Leuven.[39]
Chronological list of colleges by foundation, the oldest 4 (Castle/Pork/Lely and Faulcon) were considered as Grand College.[40] in the early 18th century there were 18 colleges.[41]
John Sullivan (1633-1699), rector of the University of Louvain(1690-1691), president of Irish Pastoral College(1672-1697), president of the College de Drieux, Louvain(1692–95).
He returned to President of the Irish Pastoral College 1695.
Guillaume van Cutsem (1749-1825) jurisconsult, deputy of the departement of the Deux-Nèthes and adviser to the Imperial Court of Justice in 1811.
Charles Lambrechts (1753-1825), professor of canon law (1777), rector of the university (1786) and freemason,[42] member of the lodge of the True and Perfect Harmony in Mons, became Minister of Justice of the French Republic from 3 vendémiaire year VI to 2 thermidor year VII.
Ferdinand Sentelet (1754-1829), graduate in theology, professor of philosophy at the Pedagogy of the Lily and president of the college of Craenendonck, since 1780. Then becomes professor of physics and rural economy at the new State University of Louvain, member of the Netherlands Institute.
Jean-Baptiste Liebaert, professor of philosophy, after the abolition of the university in 1797 he will continue his course as a private professor and will then become a professor at the State University of Louvain.
Xavier Jacquelart (1767-1856), jurisconsult, professor at the Faculty of Law, he became in 1797 professor at the Law School of the Imperial University in Brussels and then professor at the law faculty of the State University of Louvain
^Nelissen, Marc (2000). "Leuven, Rome en Brabant". In Nelissen, Roegiers; van Mingroot, Eric (eds.). De stichtingsbul van de Leuvense universiteit, 1425-1914. Leuven: Leuven University Press. p. 70. de universiteit voerde het stadswapen van Leuven, een dwarsbalk van zilver op een veld van keel, maar voegde in de rechter bovenhoek van het schild een nimbus toe van waaruit een hand een opengeslagen boek aanreikte.
^Nicolaus Vernulaeus, Academia Lovaniensis, Louvain, Petrus Sassenus, edition of 1667, p. 1.
^Georgius Hagelgans, Orbis literatus academicus Germanico-Europaeus, Francfort, 1737, in-fol., p. 30.
^Paul Duchaine, La franc-maçonnerie belge au XVIIIe siècle, Brussels, 1911, p. 103: "dans la suite plusieurs professeurs (de Louvain) et plusieurs étudiants se firent encore initier aux mystères maçonniques, Fery (N. B. Martin François Joseph Fery, professeur de philosophie à Louvain) et Lambrechts, Verhulst et Van der Stegen notamment".
^Adolphe Cordier, Histoire de l'ordre maçonnique en Belgique, Mons, 1854, p. 337: "Tableau des membres de la loge la Vraie et Parfaite Harmonie à Mons: 117: Lambrechts, professeur de droit à l'université de Louvain, Init., 1778".
^In the act of approbation of Pope Martin V: "Generale literarum Studium in eodem Oppido ordinari desiderant" et "in dictis Studiis generalibus".
^In the act of approbation of Pope Martin V: "Rector Universitatis Studii".
^For example: Nicolaus Vernulaeus, Academia Lovaniensis. Ejus origo, incrementum, viri illustres, res gestae, Lovanii, 1627; Privilegia Academiae Lovaniensis per Summos pontifices et Supremos Belgii Principes concessa, Lovanii, apud Aegidium Denique, 1728.
^For example: Bossuet, Jacques Bénigne (1864), Œuvres complètes de Bossuet, Paris: F. Lachat & Louis Vivès, p. 247: "Epistola LXV Rector Et Universitas Lovaniensis ad Bossuetum"; Jan Frans Van De Velde (1829), Nova et absoluta collectio synodorum, p. 171: "seu in Universitatibus, praecipuè Lovaniensi, alios non habuisse Magistros, quam errorum similium osores, de quo omnibus Dioecesanis praecipua, et communis debet esse vigilantia : sanè famosa Universitas Lovaniensis".
^For example: Privilegia Academiae Lovaniensi per summos pontifices ..., Louvain, 1728, p. 95: "Gesien het voorschreven Advies, wiert versoght Advies vanden Conservateur vande Privilegien der Universiteyt Loven"; J. B. Lameere (1829), Beschryf van oud en nieuw Loven, gevolgd van de lyst der primussen van de oude Universiteyt Loven, 1829.
^For example: Beschryving der stadt Schoonhoven, 1762, p. 458: "De bovengenoemde Heer ... stigte in het jaar 1557 twee Beursen in de Hooge School van Loven".
^Jan Roegiers et al., "The Old University 1425–1797", in Leuven University, Leuven, Leuven University Press, 1990, p. 57: "The town had promised Pope Martin V that it would provide the University with premise. ... The municipality also undertook to pay for the repair, maintenance and extension of the four paedagogies"; p. 36 "The Bull of Foundation in 1425 had made finance and appointment of professors a matter for the Civil authorities: the town gave the University its site and paid its professors"; p. 43: "On 20 June 1425 the Louvain magistrates agreed to engage the doctors, masters and other persons needed for the studium".
^Jan Roegiers et al., "The Old University 1425–1797", in Leuven University, Leuven, Leuven University Press, 1990, p. 21: "These universities (the medieval universities) were created either by sovereign princes or by towns, and were confirmed by the Pope ... The foundation of Louvain was the work of both ducal and municipal authorities. John IV, the Duke of Brabant, encouraged by two of his concillors, Engelbert van Nassau and Edmund van Dynter, strongly favoured the establishment of a higher centre of learning in his dukedom".
^Jozeph IJsewijn, Companion to Neo-Latin Studies, Amsterdam, New York & Oxford, 1977, p. 102: "Latin survived as the language of the University of Louvain until the French Revolution but the abolition of this institution (1797) was a catastrophe for Latin in the Southern Netherlands".
^Richard Marius, Martin Luther: The Christian between God and Death (1999), p. 188.
^Jules Delhaize (1909), La domination française en Belgique, Vol. 3, Brussels, p. 171: Les articles 3 et 4 du traité de Campo-Formio consacrèrent enfin, au point de vue international, la réunion de la Belgique à la France. Voici ces articles. Art. 3 – Sa Majesté l'Empereur, Roi de Hongrie et de Bohême, renonce pour elle et ses successeurs en faveur de la République française, à tous ses droits et titres sur les ci-devant provinces belgiques, connues sous le nom de Pays-Bas autrichiens. La République française possédera ces pays à perpétuité, en toute souveraineté et propriété, et avec tous les biens territoriaux qui en dépendent.
^The law of 15 September 1793 had decreed the suppression of all the colleges and universities in France, but the universities remain de facto until the new law of 7 ventôse year III (25 February 1795) creating the Écoles centrales. In accordance with this law the University of Louvain was abolished by Decree of the Departement of the Dijle. Louis Trénard, De Douai à Lille, une université et son histoire, Presses Universitaires du Septentrion, 1978, p.37 note 6.
^Jan Roegiers et al., Leuven University, Leuven, Leuven University Press, 1990, p. 31: "With the Law of 3 Brumaire of Year IV, which reorganized higher education in the French Republic, there was no place for the University of Louvain, and it was abolished by Decree of the Departement of the Dijle on 25 october (1797)".
^Leuven University, p. 31: "The university colleges were closed on 9 November 1797, and all items of use, with all the books, were requisitioned for the new École Centrale, in Brussel"; Analectes pour servir à l'histoire de l'Université de Louvain, edited by P. F. X. De Ram, Leuven, 1840, library Vanlinthout en Vandenzande, vol. 3, p. 58, footnote 1: "De La Serna Santander fut spécialement chargé de faire transférer à Bruxelles les principaux ouvrages de la bibliothèque académique qui déjà, en 1794 et 1795, avait été spoliée par les commissaires français."
^ abH. Francotte, La propagande des encyclopédistes français au pays de Liège, p. 28: "le jansénisme règnait en maître à l'université de Louvain".
^Leuven University, Leuven University Press, p. 153: "In 1698 a clandestine group of anti-Jansenists was formed, mainly of Jesuits and regular clergy, and it denounced the University of Louvain to Rome as 'a hide-out of Jansenists'"
^Toon Quaghebeur, "The Reception of Unigenitus in the Faculty of Theology at Louvain, 1713–1719", The Catholic Historical Review 93:2 (2007), pp. 265–299.
^Philippe Levillain, ed. (1984). "Innocent XII Pignatelli 1691-1700". In Dictionnaire historique de la Papauté. Fayard. "Bien que la théologie et l’éthique jansénistes dans leurs postulats théoriques et pratiques aient été largement rejetées par le Saint-Siège, elles sont encore bien loin de disparaître de la vie de l’Église à la fin du XVIIe siècle. À l’époque d’Innocent XII, quelques groupuscules plus combatifs ont quitté la France et se sont transférés en Belgique et en Hollande, d’où ils redoublent d’activité, souvent en conflit avec les directives de Rome. L’université de Louvain est leur forteresse".
^Daniel Tollet and Pierre Chaunu, "Innocent XII Pignatelli 1691-1700" Le jansénisme et la franc-maçonnerie en Europe centrale au XVIIe et XVIIIe siècle, p. 143: "Louvain plaque tournante des idées jansénistes"
^Histoire genérale du Jansénisme, vol. III, Amsterdam: J. Louis de Lorme, 1700, pp. 343–344 : "Il faut avoüer , quoy qu'à nôtre confusion, que nous sommes nous et toute l’Eglise, entierement redevable aux Theologiens de Louvain, de ce que les ouvrages de N: P. Saint Augustin ne demeurent pas ensevelis sous la poussiere, et jettez dans les coins des bibliotheques. Puisque ce sont eux qui ont toujours défendu avec un très-grand zele sa doctrine contre ses ennemis et ses calomniateurs. Ce sont eux qui ont corrigé toutes ses œuvres avec un travail immense et un grand amour pour la Religion, les ayant collationnées avec plus de deux cens exemplaires, et nous en ayant enlevé la gloire et la recompense. Et l'on doit rendre graces à Dieu de ce que cette revûe et cette correction s'est faite, avant que la Societé, et nommément Jean Martinez de Ripalda se mêlât de la faire. Car Saint Augustin seroit sorti de ses mains estropié et mal traité : comme nous verrons plus bas".
^Henri Francotte, professor at the University of Liège, La Propagande des encyclopédistes français au pays de Liège (1750–1790), Brussels: Hayez, 1880, p. 28: "le jansénisme régnait en maître à l'université de Louvain".
^Charles Lambrechts, Quelques réflexions à l'occasion du livre de M. l'abbé Frayssinous, intitulé : Des vrais principes de l'Église gallicane, 1818.
^Arlette Graffart, "La matricule de l'Université de Louvain (1817-1835)", in Album Carlos Wyffels, Brussels, 1987, p. 177. Arlette Graffart says that: l'Université d'État de Louvain mérite bien plus que l'Université catholique de Louvain d'être considérée comme la 'résurrection' de l'Ancienne université de Louvain.
^R. Mathes, Löwen und Rom. Zur Gründung der Katholischen Universität Löwen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Kirchen- und Bildungspolitik Papst Gregors XVI, Essen, 1975.
^Note that the Court of Cassation of Belgium ruled that the two entities were legally separate. 26 November 1846: "The Catholic University of Leuven can not be regarded as continuing the old University of Leuven". Table générale alphabétique et chronologique de la Pasicrisie Belge contenant la jurisprudence du Royaume de 1814 à 1850, Brussels, 1855, p. 585, column 1, paragraph 2. See also: Bulletin Usuel des Lois et Arrêtés, 1861, p.166.
^Leuven University, p. 31: "The university colleges were closed on 9 November 1797, and all items of use, with all the books, were requisitioned for the new École Centrale, in Brussel."
^Auguste Voisin, Documents pour servir à l’histoire des bibliothèques en Belgique, Ghent, 1840: "La bibliothèque de Bruxelles s'enrichit aussi des dépouilles de celle de l'université de Louvain, après la suppression de cet établissement. M. De la Serna Santander proposa à l'administration départementale et obtint de faire transporter, dans le dépôt confié à ses soins, tous les ouvrages qui se trouvaient encore dans la bibliothèque de l'ex-université et qui manquaient à celle qu'il organisait dans la ville, alors chef-lieu du département de la Dyle. L'administration, dit ce savant bibliographe, dans son mémoire sur la bibliothèque de Bourgogne, ayant examiné cette proposition, la trouva très-convenable, et en conséquence, elle porta un arrêté en date du 22 Brumaire an VI (12 novembre 1797), par lequel je fus chargé de me rendre à Louvain, avec ordre de prendre dans la bibliothèque de l'ex-université tous les ouvrages que je jugerais utiles et convenables, et dont celle de l'école centrale de Bruxelles pourrait avoir besoin. En conséquence de cet arrêté, je me rendis à Louvain, où, malgré la rigueur de la saison, je restai occupé pendant dix jours consécutifs a en faire le triage. Les livres dont je fis l'inventaire en présence d'un officier municipal, consistant en sept cent dix-huit articles, furent transportés par eau à Bruxelles et déposés dans la bibliothèque publique près de l'école centrale".
^P. F. X. De Ram, ed. (1840), Analectes pour servir à l'histoire de l'Université de Louvain, Louvain: Vanlinthout & Vandenzande, volume 3, p. 58, note 1: "Au reste, l'on sait que c'est à De La Serna que la Belgique doit la conservation d'une foule de manuscrits et de livres précieux qui étaient destinés à devenir la proie des Vandales de cette époque".
^Already in 1927 Léon van der Essen wrote in L'Université de Louvain, Liège, La Pensée catholique, 1927, p. 30: "Nous ne pouvons songer à donner une idée relativement complète des mérites et des gloires de l'ancien Studium Generale brabançon : cette histoire n'a jamais été écrite et nous ne pouvons la résumer ici."
^ abSupplement aux trophees tant sacres que profanes du Duche de Brabant (etc.): 3-4
^Initieted in 1778 at the lodge La Vraie et Parfaite Harmonie of Mons. Paul Duchaine, La franc-maçonnerie belge au XVIIIe siècle, Brussels, 1911, p. 103: " dans la suite plusieurs professeurs (de Louvain) et plusieurs étudiants se firent encore initier aux mystères maçonniques, Fery (N. B. Martin François Joseph Fery, professeur de philosophie à Louvain) et Lambrechts, Verhulst et Van der Stegen notamment" and Adolphe Cordier, Histoire de l'ordre maçonnique en Belgique, Mons, 1854, p. 337: "Tableau des loges : 117: Lambrechts, professeur de droit à l'université de Louvain, Init., 1778".
Bibliography
1627: Nicolaus Vernulaeus, Academia Lovaniensis. Ejus origo, incrementum, viri illustres, res gestae, Louvain, 1627.
1635: Valerius Andreas, Fasti academici Lovanienses, Louvain, edited by Jean Olivier et Corneille Coenesteyn, 1635.
1829: Baron Frédéric de Reiffenberg, Mémoires sur les deux premiers siècles de l'Université de Louvain, Brussels, 1829-35.
1838: P. De Ram, Laforêt et Namêche, "Analectes pour servir à l'histoire de l'Université de Louvain", in, Annuaire de l'Université de Louvain, 1838-65.
1856: F. Nève. Mémoire historique et littéraire sur le collège des Trois-langues à l'Université de Louvain, Brussels, 1856.
1881: Edmond Reusens, Documents relatifs à l'histoire de l'Université de Louvain (1425-1797), in Analectes pour servir à l'histoire ecclésiastique, t. XVII and sequents, 1881-92.
1881: P. De Ram, Codex veterum statutorum Academiae Lovaniensis, Brussels, 1881.
1884: Arthur Verhaeghen, Les cinquante dernières années de l'ancienne Université de Louvain, Liège, 1884.
F. Claeys Boúúaert, L'Ancienne Université de Louvain, Études et Documents, Louvain 1956.
1959: F. Claeys Boúúaert, Contribution à l'histoire économique de l'Ancienne Université de Louvain,1959.
1977: Claude Bruneel, Répertoire des thèses de l'Ancienne Université, Louvain,1977.
1990: Emiel Lamberts et Jan Roegiers, Leuven University, 1425-1985, Louvain, University Press, 1990.
1990: Jan Roegiers, "Was de oude Universiteit Leuven een Rijksuniversiteit? ", in Archief-en bibliotheekwezen in België, 1990, p. 545.
2007: Toon Quaghebeur, "Quelques caractéristiques de la querelle entre l’Université de Louvain et le Saint-Office sur le Jansénisme louvaniste du XVIIe siècle", in: Controverse et polémiques religieuses. Antiquité-Temps Modernes, Paris, l’Harmattan, 2007, p. 87-96.
_(1856).png)
