The Significance of the Production of Books at the Historical Trnava University for the Development of Science and Literature on the Territory of the Present-Day Slovakia from the Perspective of Research Conducted Over the Last Two Decades

Abstract

Over the last two decades, there has been more comprehensive and focused research on old prints produced by the historical Jesuit Trnava University. It existed in Trnava between 1635 and 1777 when it was moved to Buda (today’s Budapest, Hungary) by the monarch Maria Theresa. Thus the university influenced the educational level of the Hungarian population in the 17th and especially the 18th century, and became the centre of Baroque education in what is today Slovakia. The establishment and existence of Trnava University was of fundamental importance for the development of many scientific disciplines, which was further multiplied by the titles published by the Academic Printing House. This study aims to highlight those aspects of the activities of the university and individuals that have contributed to a breakthrough in scientific knowledge and at the same time have been the subject of partial or systematic research since 2000.

Keywords

• history of printing
• upper hungary
• slovak territory
• trnava
• jesuits
• trnava university (1635–1777)
• baroque period
• hungary