Collegium illustre

After its dissolution in 1817 the building of Collegium illustre became the home of the newly founded Wilhelmsstift, a residence hall for Roman Catholic theology students.

Duke Christoph, who was a deeply religious Lutheran, wanted to expand the court school to an academy.

Therefore, he instructed his court architect Georg Beer [de] to erect a four-wing complex in the style of late renaissance between 1588–1592.

[3] In the year 1601 it was completely detached from the university and existed from then on as a legal, administrative and exempt corporation within the town, which served only for the education of young aristocrats.

In the south western part of the building there was a Jeu de paume court, where the aristocrats could play.

The Knight Academy had been the preferred educational institution for Protestant aristocrats from all across Europe, even Scandinavia, Poland, Hungary and the Habsburg monarchy.

In 1629, the Academy had to be closed temporarily, because the Catholic League occupied the Duchy and emperor Ferdinand II issued the Edict of Restitution.

In 1648, after the end of Thirty Years' War Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg sent his oldest son John Frederick to the Collegium in Tübingen.