How did universities serve the needs of medieval society?
JJUST AS THE FIRST STRONG SECULAR STATES EMERGED in the thirteenth century, so did the first universities. This was no coincidence. The new bureaucratic states and the church needed educated administrators, and universities were a response to this need.
Law Lecture at BolognaThis beautifully carved marble sculpture suggests the students’ intellectual intensity. The fluid lines of clothing are characteristic of the late Gothic style. (Scala/Art Resource, NY)