The Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome has its historical roots in the medieval House of Studies of the Dominican Order in Rome. Mons. Juan Solano, then bishop of Cuzco in Peru († 1/14/1580), founded the new Italo-Spanish College of St. Thomas at the Roman convent of the Minerva. The rectors of the new College had to belong either to the Dominican Province of Rome or of Spain. The College of St. Thomas was also open to students who were not Dominicans.
On May 26, 1727, Benedict XIII gave to the Order's major Houses of Study, and therefore also to the College of St. Thomas, the right of conferring academic degrees in theology to students outside the Order.
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