The Quatercentenary of the University of Coimbra

Abstract

THE beautiful old city of Coimbra, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Portugal from the time of King Afonso Henriques to that of King Afonso III, rises picturesquely from the banks of the Mondego River and is crowned by the historic buildings of its university. The first centre of higher learning in Portugal, the first "Estudo geral", was established at Lisbon in March 1290 by King Diniz, but was later brought to the capital at Coimbra (in 1308). Twice transferred back in the fourteenth century (1338 and 1377) to the banks of the Tagus, the University was finally established at Coimbra in 1537 by King John III, who had undertaken a great reform of university studies. These reforms culminated in the reign of King Jose I, when in the last quarter of the eighteenth century his famous Prime Minister, the Marques de Pombal, greatly transformed and modernized the work of the University, introducing especially the study of natural science.