of the country. Having fulfilled these requirements, the student received the degree of Bachelor; but this did not entitle him to lecture in the university, this privilege being enjoyed only by those who possessed the degree of Doctor or Master. The Bachelors, however, were permitted to read lectures approved by the faculties of some other university.
The growth of the university was something phenomenal. In less than fifty years from the time it was founded, there were 200 Doctors, 500 Masters, and 30,000 students.
The rapid growth of this institution was due to the encouragement given it by the emperor. He not only richly endowed it, providing it also with good libraries, but he took a personal interest in the work. He was present at the lectures and public disputations, at times even neglecting his meals in order to hear the closing of the debates.
Charles was also a patron of art. Under his direction there was formed a fraternity of painters, sculptors, carvers in wood, and jewelers. This, to a certain extent, answered the purpose of an Academy of Arts, and continued in existence till the eighteenth century.
He also passed many wise measures for the encouragement and protection of trade and agriculture.
Under his wise administration of laws the country prospered, increasing in wealth and population. This was especially the case with Prague, whose ancient limits of Old Town and Small Side became far too narrow to accommodate the increased population. Charles, therefore, laid out a suburb, which he named Carlstadt, but which the people persisted in calling
9
