4. Al Nizamiyya Of Baghdad (Iran) Founded: 1065
Founded by Khwaja Nizam al-Mulk in early eleventh century, this was a part of series of universities started by al-Mulk. Al Nizamiyya remains the most successful and popular one. These universities combined to create ‘Largest University of Medieval world’. It saw the then poets, knowledgeable learned men coming in to share and teach. Al-Ghazali was a professor at this place. The education offered was for free. The Sack of Baghdad in 1258 saw the end of the university. The city was attacked and the place was destroyed. Persian poet Sa’di was among the few people who witnessed this destruction. Nonetheless, Al-Nizamiyya did manage to eclipse all other institutes in the surrounding regions by its sheer brilliance.
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