The University of Helmstedt (; official Latin name: Academia Julia, "Julius University") was a university in Helmstedt in the Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel that existed from 1576 until 1810.
History Founded by and named after Duke Julius of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel on 15 October 1576, the first university of the duchy and the first Protestant university of the northern Holy Roman Empire quickly became one of the largest German universities. In order to train pastors and administrators for work in the Lutheran churches, the duchy needed a university of its own. In 1575, Julius obtained the Emperor's permission to open a university in Helmstedt. One year later the first lectures started.Juleum Novum - Renaissance University Buildings - virtualtourist.com. Retrieved 18 August 2015. The princes of Wolfenbüttel held the office of the rector, starting with Julius' 12-year-old son John Henry.
Tilemann Heshusius was an important early Lutheran theologian at Helmstedt. He developed a clergy network in the region that supported other Helmstedt professors, including Daniel Hofmann, Gottfried Schulter, Basilius Sattler, and Tilemann's son, Heinrich Heshusius.
The university developed four faculties for theology, law, medicine and philosophy including the seven liberal arts. The great auditorium, the Juleum Novum, was erected in 1592.
In the late 18th century, Helmstedt lost popularity to newer universities, such as the University of Göttingen. It was closed in 1810 on initiative of Johannes von Müller, director of public instruction in the Kingdom of Westphalia.
Notable people Notable faculty Giordano Bruno, philosophy Georgius Calixtus, theology Hermann Conring, natural philosophy and rhetoric, medicine, politics (in succession) Hermann von der Hardt, oriental languages Christoph Heidmann, geographer Lorenz Heister, medicine Tilemann Heshusius, theology Anton August Heinrich Lichtenstein, oriental languages Duncan Liddel, mathematics (from 1591 to 1607)Omodeo, Pietro Daniel. (2011) Sixteenth Century Professors of Mathematics at the University of Helmstedt: A Case Study on Renaissance Scholarly Work and Networks, Max-Planck-Institut Fur Wissenschaftsgeschicte (in publication), pp. 10-11 Heinrich Meibom, history and poetry Johann Friedrich Pfaff, mathematics Wilhelm Abraham Teller, theology
Notable alumni Caspar Abel, theologian Valens Acidalius, writer Anton Wilhelm Amo, first black student in Europe Johann Arndt, theologian Christian Heinrich Bünger, anatomist Sethus Calvisius, musician Joachim Heinrich Campe, writer David Caspari, theologian Carl Friedrich Gauss, mathematician Wilhelm Gesenius, philologist Carl Benedict Hase, classicist Hoffmann von Fallersleben, writer Johann Georg Jacobi, writer Augustus Quirinus Rivinus (August Bachmann), physician and botanist
See also List of early modern universities in Europe
References
External links
District of Helmstedt - The University (in German)