Despot Voivode and „Schola Latina” in Cotnari, in Ștefan Bârsănescu’s View
Despot Voivode and „Schola Latina” in Cotnari, in Ștefan Bârsănescu’s View

Summary/Abstract: Our study analyses the cultural project of Moldavia’s ruler Despot Voivode, also known as Jacob Heraclides, project which consisted in establishing an humanistic school in Cotnari. The classes were taught in latin, and the school also had a library. While its name was Schola latina in Cotnari, it is recorded different by different historians, namely: school, academy, university, a sort of latin university, Cotnari University, humanistic school, superior school. Professors from Germany and Poland were invited to the school and, according to Professor Ştefan Bârsănescu, the historians mentioned in his study thought that through this humanistic school, where some young Moldavians were supported with food and other things they needed, the ruler sought to introduce Lutheran and Socienian ideas in the religious Moldavia, which the country’s boyars disliked. According to Professor Ştefan Bârsănescu, the Cotnari School, as well as the library and the projected academy of ruler Despot Voivode did not appear spontaneously, but under the influence of new and important socio-economic needs. Thus, even though the Cotnary Latin School was a good educational institution, it could not bring the expected fruits, because the cultural-spiritual soil of the country where it was planted was not favourable. In addition, after the assassination of Despot Voivode and the departure of Professor Johann Sommer, the activity of the school was interrupted. Despite the hardships encountered while opening the school, the cultural project of Despot Voivode and Sommer did not perish after the ruler’s death and the professor’s flight, but was resumed after nearly 80 years, by ruler Vasile Lupu.

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