University of Paris

The University of Paris, also known by its metonymic name, the Sorbonne, was the primary educational institution in the city of Paris, France, from 1150 until 1970, with the exception of the years 1793 to 1806 when it was closed due to the French Revolution. It is believed to have been established about the year 1150 as a company that was affiliated with the cathedral school of Notre Dame de Paris. At the time, it was regarded as the second-oldest university in all of Europe.

It was officially chartered in 1200 by King Philip II of France, and it was recognised in 1215 by Pope Innocent III. Later on, it was often nicknamed after its theological College of Sorbonne, which was founded by Robert de Sorbon and chartered by French King Saint Louis around 1257. Both events occurred in France.

Since the Middle Ages, this region has been known throughout the world for its outstanding academic performance in the humanities, particularly in the fields of theology and philosophy. During this time, this region also pioneered several academic standards and traditions that have persisted ever since and spread across the globe, such as doctoral degrees and student nations.

The university was shut down in 1793, in the midst of the French Revolution, and in accordance with Item 27 of the Revolutionary Convention, both the endowments and the buildings of the institution were auctioned. It was replaced in 1806 by a brand new University of France, which consisted of four separate faculties: the Faculty of Humanities (also known as the Faculté des Lettres in French), the Faculty of Law (which later expanded to include Economics), the Faculty of Science, and the Faculty of Medicine and Theology (closed in 1885).

As a result of the social turmoil that occurred in May of 1968, the institution was split up into 13 separate universities in the year 1970.