Elena Cornaro Piscopia's doctorate at Padua
- When
- 1678
- Where
- University of Padua; Padua Cathedral
- Episodes
- 3
On 25 June 1678, Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia received a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Padua. She was proclaimed Magistra et Doctrix Philosophiae, becoming one of the first women to earn a university degree.
Episodes
- Theology Petition Refusal
Felice Rotondi petitioned for a theology degree, but Cardinal Barbarigo refused due to Cornaro's gender.
- Statute Change
The university changed its statutes to prohibit women from graduating after Cornaro's conferral.
- Philosophy Degree Conferral
Cornaro received her Doctor of Philosophy degree on 25 June 1678 in Padua Cathedral.
Background and detail
Degree Process. Initially, Felice Rotondi petitioned for a theology degree on Cornaro's behalf. Cardinal Gregorio Barbarigo refused this on the grounds of her gender but permitted her to study philosophy. After completing the course, she received the laurea in Philosophy.
Conferral. The degree was conferred on 25 June 1678 in Padua Cathedral. The ceremony was attended by university authorities, professors, students, Venetian Senators, and guests from the Universities of Bologna, Perugia, Rome, and Naples. She was formally proclaimed a teacher and doctor of philosophy.
People involved
- Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia · Doctoral Candidate
- Carlo Rinaldini · Tutor and Chairman of Philosophy
- Gregorio Barbarigo · Bishop of Padua
- Felice Rotondi · Petitioner
Sources
- Elena Cornaro Piscopia Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-28
- University of Padua Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-26
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.