The Beginning of Oxford University. Part 2: Recognition and Establishment.

Part 1 of The Beginning of Oxford University videos covered the years up 1200. Part 2 covers the ultimate recognition and establishment of the university. It starts with the establishment of John Grim as head of the various schools. That landmark is quickly followed by the murder of a woman by a scholar in a tavern the town. That tragic occurrence set in motion a series of events which led to the involvement of the Pope’s representative in sorting out the squabble between “Town and Gown” which resulted in a charter which fixes the start date of the University as the year 1214. In this same year the first Chancellor of the University, said to be Robert Grosseteste, was appointed by the Bishop of Lincoln. Grosseteste is also the man who explained the phenomena of the rainbow. The video also briefly covers the establishment of many monasteries in Oxford which no doubt contributed to the success of the University. Soon after this King Henry III recognised the University as a corporation and he finally granted it a charter in 1248. This was quickly followed by the establishment of the first colleges: University College, Merton and Balliol. The University’s headquarters were in St Mary the Virgin Church and the video shows some remnants of this and also pictures the earliest building of its own: the Divinity School.