It partly succeeded the Faculty of Arts of the former University of Paris (1150–1793).

The Faculty of Humanities was created by the decree of 17 March 1808 on the organisation of the Imperial University of France.

[1][2] Under the Bourbon Restoration, the faculty welcomed an average of 1,000 to 1,500 students a year, rising to 2,000 under the July Monarchy.

But the number of teaching staff remained limited: between 1809 and 1878, only 51 professors taught at the Faculty of Humanities.

The university year began in December and lasted eight months.