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 THE GOTHIC AGE was transferred to St. Mary's, also migrated there; till the sixteenth century it held the position of a secondary school. In the beginning of the fourteenth century this school even endeavoured to arrogate to itself the rights of a University: ordinances had to be issued against it, forbidding the seven Liberal Arts to be taught there, as this right was reserved to the Cathedral school. During the second half of the fourteenth century more and more schools were founded, which helped Cracow citizens to gain a higher education.

The year 1364, of the great Casimir's glorious reign the thirty-first, brought an event of the highest importance for civilization in town and country: the foundation of the first Polish University.

The University of Cracow is one of the oldest in Central Europe. The first German one was that of Prague, founded in 1348; this is succeeded by Cracow, and, in 1365, by Vienna. It was not granted, however, to the old king, to fit it out entirely. The erection of large University buildings in the town (now suburb) of Kazimierz was undertaken but never executed. The lectures on divinity and jurisprudence were given on the Wawel. For the philosophical faculty or "liberal arts"—a sort of connecting link between parish schools and universities—St. Mary's School in the smaller city square (the so-called Vendeta or "rag-fair") was appointed. After the death of the great king the University decayed, till in 1400 it was re-established by King Ladislaus Jagiello in pursuance of the will of his deceased wife, Hedwig.

On Casimir's death the son of his sister, King Lodowick of Hungary, succeeded to the throne of Poland (1370-1382). From the very first he extended great favour to the residential town, by opening all the commercial routes to it, and extending the privileges of staple-right. The reason for the king's thus soliciting the good-will of the citizens was that he wished to secure the throne of Poland for one of his daughters. When, at last, his younger daughter, Hedwig, had become Queen of Poland, this accession was followed by most important historical