A relational database of scholars and literati active in European academia from the inception of the first universities to the dawn of the Industrial Revolution is a necessary tool for addressing the role of academia in the “Rise of the West” using the methods of economics and statistics.
The construction of this database started in 2017. It now contains more than 93,000 persons active in 370 universities and academies. The project was first funded by the Special Research Funds of UCLouvain, then by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, under grant agreement No. 883033, “Did elite human capital trigger the rise of the West? Insights from a new database of European scholars”. It is now also funded by the Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique-FNRS under grant n° A2.11903.007-F, “Human capital and the rise of the West: the key role of scientific academies”.
The data collection consists of manually harvesting secondary sources on the history of universities and academies. Starting in 2021, once the data collection for a given institution is completed, we produce an issue of the Repertorium Eruditorum Totius Europae, providing a short description of the institution and the sources used, together with descriptive statistics. When complete, the series will serve as an encyclopedia on data about the pre-industrial institutions of higher education in Europe. In 2026, we are increasingly relying on AI to help identify sources and process them.
For more detailed information about the individuals, please visit the database available at RETE database.
Two warnings are in order. First, in writing these notes, we did not try to list the most up-to-date articles on each institution and its context. We focused primarily on sources containing data on professors and academicians.
Second, RETE is a large pan-European database built from heterogeneous sources. Some entries come from recent digital or prosopographical resources, while others necessarily rely on older institutional histories, especially for regions where no modern repertory is available. For broad quantitative analyses, this heterogeneity is usually manageable, provided that results are interpreted at the appropriate aggregate level and subjected to robustness checks. It becomes more important when users work on small, highly filtered subgroups or individual trajectories. In such cases, the underlying biographical information should be checked one by one against historiographical scholarship.
Editor-in-Chief: Prof. David de la Croix
Co-editor: Dr. Mara Vitale
Editorial assistant: Ms. Virginie Leblanc, Mr. Sébastien Schillings
Advisory Board: Matthew Curtis (U. Southern Denmark), Sandra de Pleijt (U. Wageningen), Alice Fabre (U. Aix-Marseilles), Robert Stelter (TU. Rostock)
Authors: Prof. Alice Fabre, Prof. Robert Stelter, Dr Chiara Zanardello, MA Filippo Manfredini, Dr. Matthew Curtis, Prof. Frédéric Docquier, LLM Soraya Karioun, MA Julie Duchene, MA Maximilian Ganterer, BEng Valentine Dubois, MA Gaia Spolverini, BA Hugo Jay, BA Fanny Dock, MA Thomas Eisfeld, Dr. Fabio Blasutto, MA Guillaume Catoire, BA Cecilia Rolla, MA Giovanni Di Caprio, MA Mehrdaad Doraghi, BA Panagiotis Mytilinaios, BA Elise Delvaux, BA Tifenn Gualandris, MA Anna Maria Gkopi, BA Blandine Clément, BA Clara Kotala, Dr Rossana Scebba.
| Covered institution | Author(s) | Volume | Link | Data | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Bologna (1088-1800) | de la Croix, Vitale | 1 | 1-10 | xlsx | |
| University of Valladolid (1280-1800) | de la Croix, Karioun | 1 | 11-18 | xlsx | |
| Royal College in Paris (1530-1800) | de la Croix | 1 | 19-24 | xlsx | |
| University of Jena (1558-1800) | de la Croix, Stelter | 1 | 25-32 | xlsx | |
| Royal Society of Sciences of Montpellier (1706-1793) | de la Croix | 1 | 33-39 | xlsx | |
| University of Geneva (1559-1800) | Debois, de la Croix | 1 | 41-47 | xlsx | |
| Danzig Research Society (1743-1800) | de la Croix, Ganterer | 1 | 49-54 | xlsx | |
| University of Pont-à-Mousson (1572-1768) | de la Croix, Karioun | 2 | 1-6 | xlsx | |
| "Mersenne" Academy (1635-1648) | de la Croix, Duchêne | 2 | 7-12 | xlsx | |
| University of Valence (1452-1793) | de la Croix, Fabre | 2 | 13-20 | xlsx | |
| University of Copenhagen (1475-1800) | de la Croix | 2 | 21-29 | xlsx | |
| University of Gießen (1607-1800) | de la Croix, Stelter | 2 | 31-38 | xlsx | |
| University of Macerata (1540-1800) | de la Croix, Spolverini | 2 | 39-45 | xlsx | |
| Black African Scholars | de la Croix | 2 | 47-50 | xlsx | |
| Gresham College (1597-1800) | Debois, de la Croix | 2 | 51-57 | xlsx | |
| Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences (1700-1800) | de la Croix, Eisfeld, Ganterer | 3 | 1-9 | xlsx | |
| Royal Spanish Academy (1713-1800) | de la Croix, Duchêne | 3 | 11-17 | xlsx | |
| Gregorian University in Rome (1551-1773) | de la Croix, Karioun | 3 | 19-26 | xlsx | |
| University of Santiago de Compostela (1526-1800) | de la Croix, Spolverini | 3 | 27-32 | xlsx | |
| University of Padua (1222-1800) | de la Croix, Vitale | 3 | 33-42 | xlsx | |
| Royal Bourbon College in Aix-en-Provence (1603-1763) | de la Croix, Fabre | 3 | 43-50 | xlsx | |
| Academy of the Ricovrati (1599-1800) | Blasutto, de la Croix, Vitale | 3 | 51-63 | xlsx | |
| University of Göttingen (1734-1800) | de la Croix, Stelter | 4 | 1-8 | xlsx | |
| Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts of Bordeaux (1712-1793) | de la Croix, Dock | 4 | 9-17 | xlsx | |
| Imperial College of Madrid (1560-1767) | de la Croix, Karioun | 4 | 19-25 | xlsx | |
| Old University of Aberdeen (1495-1800) | de la Croix, Jay | 4 | 27-34 | xlsx | |
| University of Aix (1409-1793) | de la Croix, Fabre | 4 | 35-44 | xlsx | |
| Lubranski College in Poznan (1519-1780) | de la Croix | 4 | 45-51 | xlsx | |
| Universitas Lovaniensis (1425-1797) | Catoire, Debois, de la Croix, Duchêne, Ganterer, Vitale |
4 | 53-66 | xlsx | |
| Academy of the Gelati (1588-1799) | Rolla, Vitale | 5 | 1-7 | xlsx | |
| University of Leiden (1575-1800) | de la Croix, Stelter | 5 | 9-16 | xlsx | |
| Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1724-1800) | de la Croix, Doraghi | 5 | 17-25 | xlsx | |
| University of Fermo (1585-1800) | Di Caprio, Vitale | 5 | 27-34 | xlsx | |
| Global view (1000-1800) | de la Croix | 5 | 35-41 | ||
| Academy of Sciences of Turin (1757-1800) | de la Croix, Zanardello | 5 | 43-51 | xlsx | |
| University of Lund (1666-1800) | de la Croix | 5 | 53-60 | xlsx | |
| University of Parma (1412-1800) | Rolla, Vitale | 6 | 1-8 | xlsx | |
| Royal Dublin Society (1757-1800) | Debois, de la Croix | 6 | 9-15 | xlsx | |
| Académie Française (1635-1793) | de la Croix | 6 | 17-23 | xlsx | |
| University of Heidelberg (1386--1800) | de la Croix, Stelter | 6 | 25-34 | xlsx | |
| University of Cracow (1364--1800) | de la Croix, Spolverini | 6 | 35-42 | xlsx | |
| University of Dole (1422--1691) | de la Croix, Mytilinaios | 6 | 43-50 | xlsx | |
| Academy of Toulouse (1729-1793) | de la Croix, Delvaux | 6 | 51-58 | xlsx | |
| University of Salamanca (1218-1800) | Vitale | 7 | 1-9 | xlsx | |
| Royal Society (1660-1800) | de la Croix, Mytilinaios | 7 | 11-19 | xlsx | |
| University of Tubingen (1477-1800) | de la Croix, Stelter | 7 | 21-30 | xlsx | |
| University of Turin (1404 – 1800) | Zanardello | 7 | 31-38 | xlsx | |
| Academy of Besançon (1752-1793) | de la Croix, Delvaux | 7 | 39-45 | xlsx | |
| Academy of Lisbon (1779-1800) | Vitale | 7 | 47-54 | xlsx | |
| Academy of Bologna (1714-1800) | Rolla, Zanardello | 7 | 57-65 | xlsx | |
| A Timeline of Medieval Universities (1714-1800) | de la Croix, Vitale | 8 | 1-5 | ||
| University of Strasbourg (1621-1795) | de la Croix | 8 | 7-15 | xlsx | |
| Philosophical Society of Oxford (1651-1690) | Zanardello | 8 | 17-25 | xlsx | |
| Academy of Clermont-Ferrand (1747-1793) | de la Croix, Delvaux | 8 | 27-32 | xlsx | |
| University of Leipzig (1409-1800) | de la Croix, Stelter | 8 | 33-42 | xlsx | |
| University of Pavia (1361-1800) | Vitale | 8 | 45-52 | xlsx | |
| University of Toulouse (1229-1793) | de la Croix, Fabre | 8 | 53-63 | xlsx | |
| Royal Academy of Sciences in Paris (1666-1793) | de la Croix, Zanardello | 9 | 1-10 | xlsx | |
| University of Molsheim (1621-1793) | de la Croix | 9 | 11-16 | xlsx | |
| Dissonanti Academy in Modena (1680-1800) | Zanardello | 9 | 17-23 | xlsx | |
| University of Modena (1175-1800) | de la Croix, Zanardello | 9 | 25-32 | xlsx | |
| Rediscovering Women | de la Croix, Vitale | 9 | 33-47 | ||
| University of Coimbra (1290-1800) | de la Croix, Gualandris, Vitale | 9 | 49-57 | xlsx | |
| University of Freiburg (1457-1800) | Gkopi, Stelter | 9 | 59-68 | xlsx | |
| Society of Edinburgh (1731-1800) | de la Croix, Delvaux | 10 | 1-7 | xlsx | |
| Wages vs. Human Capital | de la Croix, Docquier, Fabre, Stelter | 10 | 9-15 | ||
| Human Capital: Worldcat vs. VIAF | Curtis, de la Croix | 10 | 17-22 | ||
| College of La Flèche (1603–1762) | de la Croix, Theis | 10 | 23-30 | xlsx | |
| University of Zamosc (1594–1784) | de la Croix | 10 | 31-37 | xlsx | |
| Accademia della Crusca (1583–1800) | Vitale | 10 | 39-45 | xlsx | |
| University of Wittenberg (1502–1800) | Clément, de la Croix | 10 | 47-55 | xlsx | |
| Academy of Georgofili (1753 – 1800) | Clément, Zanardello | 11 | 1-8 | xlsx | |
| University of Braniewo (1565–1773) | de la Croix, Gkopi | 11 | 9-16 | xlsx | |
| Academy of Dijon (1725–1793) | de la Croix, Delvaux | 11 | 17-24 | xlsx | |
| University of Pisa (1343–1800) | Gualandris, Vitale | 11 | 25-33 | xlsx | |
| University of Lwow (1608–1800) | de la Croix | 11 | 35-41 | xlsx | |
| Batavian Society (1769–1800) | Clément, de la Croix | 11 | 43-48 | xlsx | |
| University of Prague (1348=1800) | Gkopi, Stelter | 11 | 49-60 | xlsx | |
| Collegium Societatis Iesu Lovaniensis (1542–1773) | de la Croix, Vitale | 12 | 1-8 | xlsx | |
| University of Perugia (1308–1800) | Manfredini, Vitale | 12 | 9-17 | xlsx | |
| Academy of Arras (1737–1793) | Zanardello | 12 | 19-25 | xlsx | |
| College of Polotsk (1580–1800) | de la Croix, Gkopi | 12 | 27-33 | xlsx | |
| University of Barcelona (1450–1714) | de la Croix, Gualandris | 12 | 35-41 | xlsx | |
| Studium Florentinum (1321–1800) | Vitale | 12 | 43-51 | xlsx | |
| Royal Zeeland Scientific Society (1769-1800) | Clément, de la Croix | 12 | 53-59 | xlsx | |
| Royal Norwegian Society (1766-1800) | de la Croix, Delvaux | 13 | 1-6 | xlsx | |
| University of Bourges (1464-1793) | de la Croix | 13 | 7-16 | xlsx | |
| Naval Academy in Brest (1752-1793) | Clément, Zanardello | 13 | 17-23 | xlsx | |
| Stanislas Academy (1750-1793) | de la Croix, Kotala | 13 | 25-31 | xlsx | |
| University of Uppsala (1477-1800) | de la Croix | 13 | 33-41 | xlsx | |
| University of Siena (1246–1800) | Manfredini, Vitale | 13 | 43-51 | xlsx | |
| Agiati Academy in Rovereto (1750–1800) | Gualandris, Vitale, Zanardello | 13 | 53-58 | xlsx | |
| University of Vilnius (1578–1800) | de la Croix, Gkopi | 14 | 1-8 | xlsx | |
| University of Utrecht (1636–1800) | de la Croix | 14 | 9-15 | xlsx | |
| School of Sorø (1586–1800) | de la Croix | 14 | 17-23 | xlsx | |
| University of Naples (1224–1800) | Vitale | 14 | 25-35 | xlsx | |
| Geolocalization | de la Croix, Scebba | 14 | 37-42 | ||
| University of Montpellier (1289–1793) | de la Croix | 14 | 43-54 | xlsx | |
| University of Ingolstadt (1459–1800) | de la Croix, Kotala, Stelter | 14 | 55-62 | xlsx | |
| University of Salerno (1231–1800) | de la Croix, Vitale | 15 | 1-10 | xlsx | |
| University of Rome (1303–1800) | Vitale | 15 | 11-20 | xlsx | |
| University of Vich (1599–1713) | de la Croix, Kotala | 15 | 21-25 | xlsx | |
| University of Åbo (Turku) (1640–1800) | de la Croix | 15 | 27-33 | xlsx | |
| University of Trier (1454–1798) | de la Croix, Gkopi | 15 | 35-43 | xlsx | |
| University of Olomouc (1570–1778) | de la Croix, Gualandris | 15 | 45-52 | xlsx | |
| Academy of Marseille (1726–1793) | Fabre, Zanardello | 15 | 53-62 | xlsx | |
| University of Paris (1200–1793) | Clément, de la Croix | 16 | 1-14 | xlsx | |
| Collège de Clermont in Paris (1563–1762) | Clément, Vitale | 16 | 15-23 | xlsx | |
| Pomponio Academy (1457-1498) | Gualandris, Vitale | 16 | 25-30 | xlsx | |
| University of Cambridge (1209–1800) | Clément, de la Croix | 16 | 31-41 | xlsx | |
| University of Ferrara (1391–1800) | Vitale | 16 | 43-53 | xlsx | |
| University of Caen (1432–1793) | Clément, de la Croix | 16 | 55-62 | xlsx | |
| Academy of Catenati (1574–1800) | Vitale | 16 | 63-69 | xlsx | |
| Professors on Screen | de la Croix | 17 | 1-12 | ||