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Why did Frederick II found the University of Naples in 1224?
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Frederick II
Frederick II, bust, c. 13th century; in the collection of the Museo Provinciale Campano, Capua, Italy.
Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II founded the University of Naples in 1224 primarily to create a dedicated institution for training candidates for his civil service.1
Additionally, the establishment of the university served a strategic political purpose: it was intended to offset the dominant influence of the University of Bologna. To ensure the success of his new institution, Frederick decreed its existence before students or teachers had even gathered and strictly forbade his subjects from attending any other institution of higher learning.2