Cornelia M. Ridderikhoff – författare

The four Livres des procurateurs de la nation germanique de l’Université d’Orléans (1444-1602) are a unique source for the history of European universities. The quarterly reports of the presidents of the association of law students allow us to reconstitute in detail the everyday life of students from the Germanic countries during the Renaissance. From the published first and second 'Livres' between 1444-1567 (same authors, Brill 1971 and 1988) it appears that the alumni got key positions in Church and State in their homelands. The reports of the third 'Livre' for the years 1567-1587 describe the fortunes of the German Nation and the University and offer a unique look at the role of Orleans and its graduates in the religious wars and the growing confessionalisation of Europe.

The four Livres des procurateurs de la nation germanique de l’Université d’Orléans (1444-1602) are a unique source for the history of European universities. The quarterly reports of the presidents of the association of law students allow us to reconstitute in detail the everyday life of students from the Germanic countries during the Renaissance. From the published first , second and third Livres between 1444-1587 (same authors, Brill 1971-2013) it appears that the alumni got key positions in Church and State in their homelands. The reports of the fourth Livre for the years 1587-1602 describe the fortunes of the German Nation and the University and offer a unique look at the role of Orleans and its graduates in the religious wars and the growing confessionalisation of Europe.

In 1602 the German nation of the University of Orleans decided to separate the registration of new members from the texte des rapports in the Livres des procurateurs, 1444-1602. The registres matricules that were subsequently used show that in the seventeenth century many young people from a great diversity of European countries found their way to Orleans. Apart from the genuine students, many were 'tourists', though considered by the authorities as 'etudiants universitaires'. Joining the German nation offered the newly enrolled the privilege of being part of a university community that had traditionally been favoured by the French kings with special privileges, such as royal protection in time of war and, more importantly, freedom of religion. A majority of these student-tourists came from the nobility or from urban patrician families.