University of Franeker

The University of Franeker (1585–1811) was a university in Franeker, Friesland, the Netherlands. It was the second oldest university of the Netherlands, founded shortly after Leiden University.

History

Also known as Academia Franekerensis or the University of Friesland, it consisted of departments of Theology, Law, Medicine, Philosophy, Mathematics and Physics. Among its well-known students was Peter Stuyvesant, last director-general of the Dutch colony of New Netherland.

Initially the university had an excellent reputation, attracting students from far and wide, but from 1700 its fortune changed. The university was disbanded by Napoleon in 1811, along with the Universities of Harderwijk and Utrecht. After the end of the French régime, the university was not restored. Instead, an Athenaeum illustre was founded, which did not have the right to issue doctoral degrees. In 1843, the Athenaeum itself was disbanded because of a lack of students.

Today, Franeker has no institute of higher education, although postgraduate students from the University of Groningen are permitted to defend their thesis in the Franeker Martinikerk [nl], provided they are Frisian or their thesis subject has a connection to Friesland.^[1]

Notable professors and alumni

Jean-Nicolas-Sébastien Allamand (1713-1787), professor of philosophy (1747-1749) then professor of mathematics and philosophy, University of Leiden
Lieuwe van Aitzema, historian and diplomat
William Ames, theologian
Willem Baudartius, theologian
Balthasar Bekker, theologian
Court Lambertus van Beyma, delegate of the Frisian States
Govert Bidloo, anatomist and personal physician of William III of Orange-Nassau, Dutch stadholder and king of England
Cornelius van Bynkershoek, jurist and legal theorist, president of the Supreme Court of the Netherlands
Steven Blankaart Dutch physician and entomologist
Johannes Bogerman, professor for theology, president of the Synod of Dort
Sebald Justinus Brugmans, professor of physics and mathematics 1785
Petrus Camper, professor of philosophy, anatomy and surgery in 1750
Johannes Cocceius, professor for Hebrew and theology, 1643
René Descartes (1596-1650), student (1629-1630)^[2]
Johannes van den Driesche, professor of Oriental languages at Oxford in 1575 and in Franeker in 1585
Nathaniel Eaton (1632), first professor of Harvard College in 1638 ^[3]
Sicco van Goslinga, Dutch statesman and diplomat
Willem van Haren, poet and politician
Onno Zwier van Haren, writer and politician
Daniel Heinsius, student and later professor in Leiden
Tiberius Hemsterhuis, professor of Greek and history, 1720–1740
Ulrik Huber, professor of law and a political philosopher
Theodorus van Kooten, professor of Latin language and history, poet and politician
Johann Samuel König, professor for mathematics and philosophy, 1744–1749
Joannes Antonides van der Linden, physician and medical bibliographer, 1639-1651
Sibrandus Lubbertus, professor of theology 1585-1625
Johannes Maccovius, professor of theology in 1615, brother in law of Saskia van Uylenburgh
Henricus Antonides Nerdenus, professor of theology 1585-1614
Adriaan Metius, mathematician and astronomer, professor extraordinarius in 1598
Johannes Mulder, (1769–1810) student and later professor at the University of Groningen
Mattheus Brouërius van Nidek poet
Jacob Perizonius, professor eloquence and history 1682-1693
Murk van Phelsum, physician
Herman Alexander Röell, professor of theology
Johan van den Sande (1568-1648), professor of law
Petrus Stuyvesant (1612-1672), governor of New Amsterdam
Jean Henri van Swinden, professor of physics and philosophy in 1766
Christiaan Hendrik Trotz, professor of law 1741
Johan Valckenaer, lawyer, patriot and diplomat
Lodewijk Caspar Valckenaer, professor of Greek 1741-1765
Johannes Henricus Voorda, professor of law 1797-1802
William IV, Prince of Orange (1711-1751), stadtholder of the Netherlands
Eise Eisinga (1724-1828) amateur astronomer who built the Eise Eisinga Planetarium in his house in Franeker, later became professor of astronomy

References

^ "Legacy – Franeker University | Universiteit van Franeker |". Retrieved 2023-12-21.
^ A. C. Grayling, Descartes: The Life of Rene Descartes and Its Place in His Times, Simon and Schuster, 2006, pp. 151–152.
^ Prögler, Daniela (2016). English Students at Leiden University, 1575-1640. London: Taylor & Francis. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-409-43712-3.