Page - 257 - in Die Matrikel der Wiener Rechtswissenschaftlichen Fakultät - Matricula Facultatis Juristarum Studii Wiennensis, Volume II:1442–1557

Abstract: The Register of the Faculty of Law at the University of Vienna, Vol. 2 (1442–1557) This volume presents a critical edition of the register of the Faculty of Law at the Uni- versity of Vienna between 1442 and 1557; the original is kept in the University Archives (signature J 2). This edition with explanatory notes is made accessible with the aid of both a register of persons and a location register, thus providing a basis for the analysis of the text by various academic disciplines. The registers list university scholars, with reference to other source documents where available, and the student’s places of origin are listed in the location register. The registers not only provide a list of the names of the persons men- tioned in the sources, but also allow for a quantitative approach to the prosopographical research of the Middle Ages and Early Modernity. In the introduction the careers of selected lawyers are delineated and the Faculty of Law of the University of Vienna is presented in overview, with an in-depth investi- gation of the period from the mid-15th to the mid-16th century. The introduction thus presents the University of Vienna in general, and the Faculty of Law in particular, in its geographical and historical context, especially the scope of influence of the University, its importance in comparison with other late medieval universities as well as the countries of origin of the students. Political events, crises and wars have been considered if they had an effect on the number and countries of origin of the students. Another focal point of the introduction is a paleographic analysis of the various scribes of the registers, with a special regard to research on the history of Humanism. Following a general analysis of the manuscripts, with the help of paleographic analysis individual scribes have been examined in greater detail. Based on the script analyses and consideration of other (university) sources, it was possible to make general statements about the quality of writing at the Faculty of Law. The introduction also contains an evaluation of the number and countries of origin of the students and their careers at the University of Vienna. Therefore it was possible to give a prosopographical overview of the law students, illustrated by more comprehensive bio- graphies of selected individuals. Another section presents the subjects of the study of law, the conditions of studying and everyday life at the Faculty of Law, as far as could be in- ferred from the source. The universities in Italy and their differences to Vienna, especially regarding the content of the studies, receive particular attention. The importance of Ro- man Law, which, in contrast to canon law, could not be studied in Vienna until the end of the 15th century, is analysed in regards to student mobility and the strong attraction of studying in Italy. In addition, a statistical analysis has been performed, investigating the frequency, graduation rate, social and regional origin, amount of fees for studying and, to some extent, previous studies and careers of law scholars. The last part of the introduction examines the various job opportunities for law graduates, exemplified by the specific ca-