This case study deals with the collective biography of late medieval students at a small university closely linked to the Palatine court. Based on the data provided by the matriculation list and using modern empirical methods, an analysis of their social and regional origins, their learning conditions and behaviour, and their later careers is made.
The first part of the book examines the development of the area of recruitment and the social composition of the Heidelberg studium generale, followed by a detailed investigation of various categories of scholars: nobles, higher and lower clergy, monks, rich and poor.
In more than 60 tables the book provides rich statistical material, which might be helpful for further studies in a comparative perspective. an extensive prosopographical appendix contains detailed biographical data for numerous students.