The University of Toulouse was established in 1229 in Toulouse, France, as a center for higher learning and scholarship. This institution emerged from the need for educated clergy and laypeople following the Albigensian Crusade. Its founding marked a significant development in the educational landscape of medieval Europe, promoting the study of theology, philosophy, and the arts.

The University of Toulouse became a hub for intellectual discourse, influencing poets and writers such as Guillaume de Lorris, who engaged with themes of love and morality in their works. The university's emphasis on literature and philosophy contributed to the evolution of vernacular poetry in France, fostering a rich literary culture.