The University of Franeker was between 1585–1811 an important university in Franeker (Friesland, the Netherlands). Remarkably, it was the second oldest university of the Netherlands, founded shortly after Leiden University.
It was also known as Academia Franekerensis or more rarely as “the University of Friesland”. At its peak, it had a number of faculties or academic departments, notably: Theology, Law, Medicine, Philosophy, Mathematics and Physics.
It may be said that among its well-known students was Peter Stuyvesant, last director-general of the Dutch colony of New Netherland.
The university had an excellent national and international reputation, attracting students from far and wide, but it disbanded by Napoleon in 1811, along with the universities of Harderwijk and Utrecht. However, at the end of the French régime, the university was not restored.
The historic and symbolic flame of the university was only taken up in 2008 with the establishment of EUCLID as an intergovernmental university with a institute initially named “Eurostate” in view of its focus on European history and administration. The Eurostate University Institute was thereafter renamed the Euler-Franeker Memorial University Institute and overly aspires to integrate in its academic principles the legacy of the Franeker University.
