RS

Many universities originated without the express initiative of any civil
or ecclesiastical power. They either grew up slowly, as in the cases of
Bologna and Paris, or established themselves quickly through a migration
of students from some other university, as in the cases of Padua,
Vercelli, and Leipzig; but in either event the charters which gave them
standing as _Studia Generalia_, and the privileges emanating from
imperial, royal, princely, or papal authorities, were granted after,
rather than before, masters and students had gathered for their work.
The cases in which municipalities granted privileges to migrating bodies
of students, before their coming, are not included in the above
statement.

In some instances, however, civil and ecclesiastical authorities took
the initiative. Among other examples of universities established
directly by them may be cited Naples, founded by Emperor Frederick II,
1224; Toulouse, by Pope Gregory IX, 1230, 1233; Prague, by Emperor
Charles IV, 1348; Caen, by Henry VI of England, 1432. The motives which
led to this action were, on the one hand, the desire of political powers
for the support of learned men, especially lawyers; and, on the other,
the desire of the papacy for the more effective propagation of the
Catholic faith.[55]

The political motive appears in the Letters-patent of Henry VI for Caen,
1432:

It befits Royal Highness to govern with due magnificence the
peoples subject to him in times of wars and of peace, to the end
that they may be defended valorously and constantly from the
violence of enemies, and from wrongs offered them; and that they
may be rendered tranquil and quiet through laws and active
justice, by securing to each man his rights, with due regard to
the common interests. For we think that this sort of justice, so
excellent and advantageous, can never be practiced without the
industry of men of great learning, steeped in laws, divine and
human. And formerly our kingdom of France happily abounded in
such men; but many kinds of evil men swarmed in, by whom, in the
long process of time, the aforesaid kingdom, at one time through
the disturbances of civil war, and again through deadly
pestilence, and finally through the various butcheries of men,
and mighty famine--Alas! the pity of it!--has now been so shaken
that scarcely can a sufficient number of sound justices be found