grr - Feudal knights things is a bug in all proabability (another one i thought they fixed) - they should dismount to Feudal foot Knights.

University you have to build in the province with the cathedral, if i remember correctly it needs a fortress and all the previous upgrades to special buildings (constables palace etc etc)

Compass and compass rose etc are game events - cant remember the year sorry... the building descriptors only say you need compass for certaina dvanced ship-building buildings but you also need gunpowder so youc an build cannon foundries (et al) - as those higher ship types all use cannons.

Hope that helps.