英国中世纪的大学是在国王与教皇权力争夺战的夹缝下发展起来的。在这中世纪大学发展的400年间,是罗马教廷走向衰落的时期,亦是英国民族国家逐渐形成的时期,也是中央政府职权不断完善与强化的时期。首先是强大的教会对大学施加影响不断干预,随后便是强大起来的中央政府;同时大学不断地反对二者干预,与教会和王权抗争寻求自由发展。 The medieval British university was developed under the scramble of power between the king and the pope. During the 400 years of development of this medieval university, it was a period of decline of the Holy See and also a period of gradual formation of the British nation-state. It was also a period during which the central government’s power was continuously perfected and strengthened. The first is that the powerful churches have exerted an influence on the university to intervene continuously, followed by the powerful central government. Meanwhile, the university has constantly opposed the intervention of both and sought to develop freely with the church and the monarchy.