THE MEDIEVAL ARMENIAN UNIVERSITY

Abstract

In XIII-XV centuries dozens of universities were founded in the European countries
which essentially changed the portrait of the European culture. During that period some
universities were also founded in Armenia, which continued their existence for about 150 years
in original ways and different names (as they were genetically connected to each other, the
expression “medieval Armenian university” is used following to A. Matevosyan) continuing
the traditions of medieval Armenian higher schools. The medieval Armenian university
fulfilled several functions like the European universities did, such as: a) if European
universities played an important role in the unification of European nations, in the formation of
a new social stratum and pan-European culture, in inserting educational and teaching system
operating in a united criteria, in the Armenian reality the medieval Armenian university did the
work of uniting the mental forces of Armenians, preparing literate people and creating the pan-
Armenian educational environment. b) Both European and Armenian universities became the
heart of science organization, the centre of creating and spreading scientific research and
humanistic ideas. c) If European universities played an important role in the formation of both
pan-European and the national identities, the Armenian university played a great role in saving
the pillars of Armenian identity – religion, dogma, language and culture. Though the Armenian
Church had rich experience in dogmatic struggle in this phase, as distinct from former centu-
ries, the religious-dogmatic struggle continued on an institutional level and had an underlined
intellectual direction. Armenian literate people were able to give an adequate answer to the
Latin Unitarians. First of all, they founded universities. Secondly, they made use of scholastic
philosophy and methodology while writing their dogmatic and theological works, i. e. they
struggled against the Unitarians with their own weapon.