or Sorbon, the house or college of the faculty of theology established in the old university of Paris. It was founded in 1252, by St Louis, or rather by Robert de Sorbon his confessor and almoner, first canon of Cambrai, and afterwards of the cathedral of Paris; who gave his own name to it, which he himself took from the village of Sorbon or Serbon, near Sens, where he was born. The foundation was laid in 1250; Queen Blanche, in the absence of her husband, furnishing him with a house which had formerly been the palace of Julian the apostate. The king afterwards gave him all the houses he had in the same place, in exchange for some others. The college was magnificently rebuilt by the Cardinal de Richelieu. The institution was designed for the use of poor students in divinity.

Sorbonne was also used in general for the whole faculty of theology at Paris, as the assemblies of the whole body were held in the house of the Sorbonne, and the bachelors of the other houses of the faculty came hither to hold their sorbonnique, or act for being admitted doctor of divinity.