In the history of civilization of Europe, the Middle Ages are called the Dark Ages. Since the 11th century, the development of industry and commerce naturally led to the formation of burgher class and the emergence of self-governed cities. Till the 12th century , autonomous universities emerged. Although the autonomy of universities was based on the privileges bestowed by autocratic governors (emperor and church), the autonomy of cities and universities in the Middle Ages of Europe pioneered on temporary civil society and autonomous university and guided the future direction of the development of human society. In this sense, the autonomy of cities and the autonomy of universities in the Middle Ages served as two beacons in the Dark Ages of Europe, with the later one being brighter than the former one.%在欧洲的文明史上，中世纪常被称为“黑暗时代”。从公元11世纪起，随着工商业的发展，自发地形成了一个市民阶层和一座座由市民自治的城市。到公元12世纪，自治性的大学应运而生。尽管欧洲中世纪大学的自治是以专制统治者（国王和教会）所给予的特权为基础，但是，欧洲中世纪的城市自治和大学自治，既为现代意义上的市民社会和大学自治开创了先河，也为人类社会的发展指引了前进的方向。正是在这种意义上，中世纪的城市自治和大学自治，是欧洲黑暗时代的两盏明灯。而自治的中世纪大学与自治的中世纪城市相比，无疑是这两盏明灯中最明亮的一盏。
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