Where and when did the first European universities appear? Why there?

The first Catholic universities appeared in the middle of the 12th century in Paris, Bologna and Salerno. The basis of the University in Salerno was the Muslim medical school (Islamic culture prevailed in southern Italy since the 9th century). Bologna was one of the first urban republics in Europe. Its citizens were in great need of good lawyers, so the University of Bologna was established on the basis of a higher law school. Finally, France was considered the “most Christian” of the states of the XII century. It is not surprising that it was in Paris that the most authoritative theological school was founded, which later turned into a university – the Sorbonne (XIII century).