A középkori pécsi egyetem és alapítója
The University of Pécs in the Middle Ages and its Founder

Summary/Abstract: The article consist of three parts. In the first, the author focuses on the establishment of the university (founded in 1367) placing it into a Hungarian and Central European context. It points out that even though it was the Hungarian king who submitted the plea for founding the university to the Holy Father, the establishment of the institution as well as the proposal for its location can be traced back to the bishop of Pécs, Vilmos of Bergzabern or Vilmos of Koppenbach, as he was also called. It is conspicuous that, unlike the universities of Prague, Cracow and Vienna, it was established in an episcopal seat and not in a royal center. It is true though that the town was the center of one of the richest dioceses in medieval Hungary where an excellent chapter school had existed for some time and where the chapter house could provide an adequate “library background” for the university. It is not negligible either that Pécs by its location fit well into the Southern and South Western oriented foreign policy of King Louis I. In the second part of the article the author – touching upon the future bishop’s diplomatic activity – describes the career of Vilmos of Koppenbach, the founder of the university and its first chancellor. Drawing on written sources and archeological evidence, the third part surveys the history of the university, its professors and students.

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