Collegium Sapientiae
Encyclopedia
The Collegium Sapientiae (Sapience College; College of Wisdom; Sapienzkolleg; Sapienz; Sapienz-Collegium) was a preparatory academy and later theological seminary in Heidelberg
in the early modern period.
The Collegium Sapientiae was founded by Elector Frederick II
in 1555 on the location of the former Augustinian Cloister in Heidelberg. Frederick received papal permission to redirect ecclesiastical revenues for the support of this preparatory academy for up to 60 poor students under the oversight of the arts faculty
of the University of Heidelberg. Under Elector Otto Henry
, the foundation became an explicitly Lutheran institution. The Reformed
Elector Frederick III, the Pious
, transformed the school from a preparatory arts academy into a Reformed theological seminary in 1561. With this transformation, administration of the Collegium passed from the university to the church council. Under the leadership of Zacharias Ursinus
, the Collegium became a leading center of Reformed theological education in the Holy Roman Empire
and enrollments increased. Under Elector Ludwig IV, the institution returned to Lutheranism in 1577, and Reformed students left the school en masse. The institution took on a Reformed character again during and after the regency of Count Palatine
Johann Casimir from 1584, and there was a concomitant exodus of Lutheran students. Outstanding faculty in this period included David Pareus
, Heinrich Alting, and Bartholomäus Keckermann
. The school closed with the military occupation of the Electoral Palatinate in the Thirty Years War in the 1620s.
After the restoration of the Palatine Wittelbachs in the aftermath of the war, Elector Karl Ludwig
empowered the leading Swiss Scholar Johann Heinrich Hottinger
to reopen the Collegium in 1656. The institution again suffered hardship as its structures were destroyed with much of the rest of Heidelberg in the Palatine Succession War in 1693. The school reopened in 1707 and continued in a more humble fashion until its final dissolution in 1805.
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
in the early modern period.
The Collegium Sapientiae was founded by Elector Frederick II
Frederick II, Elector Palatine
Frederick II, Count Palatine of the Rhine , a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty, was Prince-elector of the Palatinate from 1544 to 1556.- Biography :...
in 1555 on the location of the former Augustinian Cloister in Heidelberg. Frederick received papal permission to redirect ecclesiastical revenues for the support of this preparatory academy for up to 60 poor students under the oversight of the arts faculty
Faculty of Arts
The Faculty of Arts was one of the four traditional divisions of the teaching bodies of medieval universities, the others being Theology, Law and Medicine...
of the University of Heidelberg. Under Elector Otto Henry
Otto Henry, Elector Palatine
Otto-Henry, Elector Palatine, a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty was Count Palatine of Palatinate-Neuburg from 1505 to 1559 and prince elector of the Palatinate from 1556 to 1559...
, the foundation became an explicitly Lutheran institution. The Reformed
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
Elector Frederick III, the Pious
Frederick III, Elector Palatine
Frederick III of Simmern, the Pious, Elector Palatine of the Rhine was a ruler from the house of Wittelsbach, branch Palatinate-Simmern-Sponheim. He was a son of John II of Simmern and inherited the Palatinate from the childless Elector Otto-Henry, Elector Palatine in 1559...
, transformed the school from a preparatory arts academy into a Reformed theological seminary in 1561. With this transformation, administration of the Collegium passed from the university to the church council. Under the leadership of Zacharias Ursinus
Zacharias Ursinus
Zacharias Ursinus was a sixteenth century German Reformed theologian, born Zacharias Baer in Breslau . He became the leading theologian of the Reformed Protestant movement of the Palatinate, serving both at the University of Heidelberg and the College of Wisdom...
, the Collegium became a leading center of Reformed theological education in the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
and enrollments increased. Under Elector Ludwig IV, the institution returned to Lutheranism in 1577, and Reformed students left the school en masse. The institution took on a Reformed character again during and after the regency of Count Palatine
Count palatine
Count palatine is a high noble title, used to render several comital styles, in some cases also shortened to Palatine, which can have other meanings as well.-Comes palatinus:...
Johann Casimir from 1584, and there was a concomitant exodus of Lutheran students. Outstanding faculty in this period included David Pareus
David Pareus
David Pareus was a German Reformed Protestant theologian and reformer.-Life:He was born at Frankenstein December 30, 1548. He was apprenticed to an apothecary and again to a shoemaker...
, Heinrich Alting, and Bartholomäus Keckermann
Bartholomäus Keckermann
Bartholomäus Keckermann in Danzig was a German writer, Calvinist theologian and philosopher. He is known for his Analytic Method...
. The school closed with the military occupation of the Electoral Palatinate in the Thirty Years War in the 1620s.
After the restoration of the Palatine Wittelbachs in the aftermath of the war, Elector Karl Ludwig
Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine
Charles Louis, , Elector Palatine KG was the second son of Frederick V of the Palatinate, the "Winter King" of Bohemia, and his wife, Princess Elizabeth, daughter of King James I of England ....
empowered the leading Swiss Scholar Johann Heinrich Hottinger
Johann Heinrich Hottinger
Johann Heinrich Hottinger was a Swiss philologist and theologian.- Life and works :Hottinger studied at Geneva, Groningen and Leiden. After visiting France and England he was appointed professor of church history in his native town of Zürich in 1642...
to reopen the Collegium in 1656. The institution again suffered hardship as its structures were destroyed with much of the rest of Heidelberg in the Palatine Succession War in 1693. The school reopened in 1707 and continued in a more humble fashion until its final dissolution in 1805.
Further reading
- Johann Friedrich Hautz. Geschichte der Universität Heidelberg. Mannheim: J. Schneider, 1862, especially pp. 438-443.
- Andrew L. Thomas. A House Divided: Wittelsbach Confessional Court Cultures in the Holy Roman Empire, C. 1550-1650. Leiden: Brill, 2010, pp. 123-4.
- Dirk Visser. Zacharias Ursinus the Reluctant Reformer--His Life and Times. New York: United Church Press, 1983.
- Eike Wolgast, "Das Collegium Sapientiae in Heidelberg im 16. Jahrhundert," in Zeitschrift für die Geschichte des Oberrheins 147 (1999): 303-318.
- Eike Wolgast. Die Universität Heidelberg. 1386–1986. Berlin: Springer, 1986, ISBN 3-540-16829-X.