Erasmus birth and death
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Desiderius Erasmus
1. Life and Works
Erasmus was born in Rotterdam on 27 October 1467 (?) as the illegitimate son of a priest. He attended a school at Deventer which was regarded as progressive and had capable teachers who introduced Erasmus to “something of a higher standard of literature” (CWE 4: 405). Orphaned in 1483, he came into the care of guardians who sent him to a school run by the Brethren of the Common Life in the spirit of the Devotio Moderna. Since Erasmus’ inheritance was small, his guardians persuaded him to enter the monastery of the Augustinian Canons Regular at Steyn. He was ordained priest in 1492.
In later years Erasmus alleged that he had been pressured into taking the vows. His misgivings found expression in one of his first works, De Contemptu Mundi (On disdaining the World, written in the 1490s, published 1521). Ostensibly a praise of monastic life, it began by recommending seclusion and withdrawal from the world but ended in a lament about the decline of monasticism and a warning to postulants not to take the vows rashly. Erasmus
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Erasmus
Dutch humanist (c. 1469 – 1536)
For other uses, see Erasmus (disambiguation).
See also: Legacy and evaluations of Erasmus
See also: Works of Erasmus
The Reverend Father, later Doctor Desiderius Erasmus | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 28 October 1466 Rotterdam or Gouda, Burgundian Netherlands, Holy Roman Empire |
| Died | 12 July 1536(1536-07-12) (aged 69) Basel, Old Swiss Confederacy |
| Other names | Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus |
| Known for | New Testament translations and exegesis, satire, pacificism, letters, author and editor |
| Awards | Counsellor to Charles V. (hon.) |
| Education | |
| Influences | |
| Era | Northern Renaissance |
| School or tradition | |
| Institutions | |
| Main interests | |
| Notable works | |
| Notable ideas | |
| Influenced | |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Ordained | 25 April 1492 |
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (DEZ-i-DEER-ee-əs irr-AZ-məs; Dutch:[ˌdeːziˈdeːrijʏseːˈrɑsmʏs]; 28 October c. 1466 – 12 July 1536), commonly known in English as Erasmus of Rotterdam or simply Erasmus, was a Dutch Chris
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Erasmus of Rotterdam
1466–1536
Quick Facts
FULL NAME: Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus
BORN: October 27, 1466
DEATH: July 12, 1536
BIRTHPLACE: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Who Was Erasmus?
Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam was one of Europe's most famous and influential scholars. A man of great intellect who rose from meager beginnings to become one of Europe's greatest thinkers, he defined the humanist movement in Northern Europe. His translation to Greek of the New Testament brought on a theological revolution, and his views on the Reformation tempered its more radical elements.
Early Life
Erasmus rose from obscure beginnings to become one of the leading intellectual figures of the early Northern Renaissance. Most historians believe that he was born Gerard Gerardson in 1466 (with many noting his probable birthdate as October 27) in Rotterdam, Holland. His father, believed to be Roger Gerard, was a priest, and his mother was named Margaret, the daughter of a physician. He was christened with the name "Erasmus," meaning "beloved."
Erasmus began his education
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