Editing University of Vienna (section)

===Middle Ages to the Enlightenment===
The university was founded on March 12, 1365, by [[Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria]], hence the name "Alma Mater Rudolphina".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=University of Vienna: 650 Years |url=https://www.austrianinformation.org/fall-2015/university-of-vienna-650-years |access-date=2022-05-11 |website=New Austrian |date=13 November 2015 |language=en-US |archive-date=11 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711170631/https://www.austrianinformation.org/fall-2015/university-of-vienna-650-years |url-status=live }}</ref> After the [[Charles University]] in [[Prague]] (1347) and [[Jagiellonian University]] in [[Kraków]] (1364), the University of Vienna is the third oldest university in Central Europe and the oldest university in the contemporary German-speaking world; it remains a question of definition as the Charles University in Prague was German-speaking when founded, too. However, [[Pope Urban V]] did not ratify the deed of foundation that had been sanctioned by Rudolf IV, specifically in relation to the department of theology. This was presumably due to pressure exerted by [[Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor]], who wished to avoid competition for the [[Charles University in Prague]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mühlberger |first=Kurt |date=2015-02-27 |title=The beginnings of the Alma Mater Rudolphina |language=en |work=650 plus |url=https://geschichte.univie.ac.at/en/topics/beginnings-alma-mater-rudolphina |access-date=2022-12-01 |archive-date=1 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201184932/https://geschichte.univie.ac.at/en/topics/beginnings-alma-mater-rudolphina |url-status=live }}</ref>

The pope later granted an endowment to the university in 1365, while papal assent was finally received in 1384.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pope Urban V confirms the endowment of the University of Vienna, 18 June 1365 |url=https://www.habsburger.net/en/media/pope-urban-v-confirms-endowment-university-vienna-18-june-1365 |access-date=2023-02-19 |website=Die Welt der Habsburger |language=en |archive-date=23 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023144110/https://www.habsburger.net/en/media/pope-urban-v-confirms-endowment-university-vienna-18-june-1365 |url-status=live }}</ref> This led to the University of Vienna and its Faculty of Catholic Theology being granted the status of a full university.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pope Urban V confirms the endowment of the University of Vienna, 18 June 1365 |url=https://www.habsburger.net/en/media/pope-urban-v-confirms-endowment-university-vienna-18-june-1365 |access-date=2022-05-11 |website=Die Welt der Habsburger |language=en |archive-date=23 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023144110/https://www.habsburger.net/en/media/pope-urban-v-confirms-endowment-university-vienna-18-june-1365 |url-status=live }}</ref> The first university building opened in 1385. It grew into the biggest university of the [[Holy Roman Empire]], and during the advent of [[Humanism]] in the mid-15th century was home to more than 6,000 students.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=kniefacz |first=katharina |date=2015-02-27 |title=Renaissance humanism at the University of Vienna |language=en |work=650 plus |url=https://geschichte.univie.ac.at/en/topics/renaissance-humanism-university-vienna |access-date=2022-12-01 |archive-date=1 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201184938/https://geschichte.univie.ac.at/en/topics/renaissance-humanism-university-vienna |url-status=live }}</ref>

In its early years, the university had a partly hierarchical, partly cooperative structure, in which the [[Rector (academia)|Rector]] was at the top, while the students had little say and were settled at the bottom. The [[Magister (degree)|Magister]] and [[Doctor (title)|Doctor]]s constituted the four faculties and elected the academic officials from amidst their ranks. The students, but also all other Supposita (university members), were divided into four [[Nation (university)|Academic Nation]]s. Their elected board members, mostly graduates themselves, had the right to elect the Rector. He presided over the Consistory which included procurators of each of the nations and the faculty deans, as well as over the University Assembly, in which all university teachers participated. Complaints or appeals against decisions of the faculty by the students had to be brought forward by a Magister or Doctor.<ref name=":3" />[[File:Arkadenhof der Universität Wien-2 1200.jpg|thumb|The courtyard (''Arkadenhof'') of the [[Main building (University of Vienna)|main building]], constructed between 1877 and 1884]]Being considered a Papal Institution, the university suffered a setback during the [[Reformation]]. In addition, epidemics, economic stagnation, and the first [[Siege of Vienna (1529)|Siege of Vienna]] by Ottoman forces had devastating effects on the city, leading to a sharp decline in enrollment. For Emperor [[Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor|Ferdinand I]], this meant that the university should be tied to the church to an even stronger degree, and in 1551 he installed the [[Jesuit Order]] there.<ref name=":0" /> As time went on, conflicts between the Jesuit school and the university arose. This led Emperor [[Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor|Ferdinand II]], in 1623, to pass a law that incorporated the Jesuit College into the university.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Maisel |first=Thomas |date=2015-02-27 |title=The Society of Jesus and the University of Vienna |language=en |work=650 plus |url=https://geschichte.univie.ac.at/en/topics/society-jesus-and-university-vienna |access-date=2022-05-11 |archive-date=23 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023044346/https://geschichte.univie.ac.at/en/topics/society-jesus-and-university-vienna |url-status=live }}</ref> It was only in the mid-18th century that the Jesuits lost influence over the university and when Empress [[Maria Theresa]] ensured that the university went under the control of the monarchy. The university would later focus on the education of physicians and civil servants. Her successor [[Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor|Joseph II]] continued her reforms and further liberalized the university, abolishing official attire and allowing both Protestants and Jews to enroll by 1782, as well as introducing German as the compulsory language of instruction the year later.<ref name=":0" />