<previous Universities were under the control of the Roman Church until the time of Giotto where a number of universities were established independently of the Church: Oxford in the mid thirteen century and Bologna which was organized by Law students.

The Sorbonne, the first university was established in Paris in 1150 by a group of scholars organized and following the model of the Guilds of artisans. They created a legal institution offering degrees in Theology, Canon Law, Medecine and Arts for French, Normand and English students. It was still partially under the control of the Church when in 1277 the bishop of Paris decreed that the study of Aristotle was prohibited.

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