The renaissance school patronage in Poland

Abstract

The author discusses the need for education of the young Poles, and its profitability in the 16^th century. She proves that the founders contributed to the development of education and its institutions (boarding houses, libraries): clergy, rich noblemen, and burghers. They supported not only institutions but also individuals – funding scholarships for the students of the Jagiellonian University or studies abroad, very expensive. Municipal authorities of a few Polish cities also joined educational patronage, e.g. in Gdańsk, Toruń, or Elbląg, sending the youth to the German universities. The author concludes that: "The value of education was perceived by the noble and bourgeois elites of the 16^th century. University experience turned out to be indispensable for career, thus parents took care of good teachers, schools, and universities. The professionalism of parliamentary members, teachers, medical doctors, or lawyers mattered, not only good breeding. Education usually enabled promotion in then Poland".