Desiderius Erasmus

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Desiderius ErasmusDesiderius Erasmus was the most brilliant and most important leader of German humanism. Erasmus was borned in Holland on October 28, probably in 1466. He died at Basle, Switzerland, July 12, 1536. He was the child of Gerard and Margaretha Rogers.

He later latinized his name as Desiderius Erasmus. His father was a priest. When he was nine years old he was sent to the school of the celebrated humanist Hegius at Deventer.

There is where his taste for humanism was awakened. He had many brilliant qualities of his intellect. He had a very good memory and an extraordinarily quick power of comprehension. These qualities were present even at his earliest training. When he was thirteen years old his mother died and later his father. He then was sent by his guardians to the monastery school of Hertogenbosch. In 1486, he was forced by his guardians into the monastery of Emmaus, but he felt no true religious vocation.

He later said that this was the greatest misfortune of his life. He was let free to persue his studies. He devoted himself mainly to the ancient classics. His religious training was from the study of St.

Herome and Lorenzo Valla. A accident lucky freed him from the monastic life. The Bishop of Cambrai was impressed with him and ordained him as a priest in 1492. The journey was never made, but remained in the service of the bishop who sent him to Paris to complete his studies. He then traveled throughout France and the Netherlands. He then earned money for a trip to England by acting as a tutor to three Englishmen during 1498-1499. In England he made the acquaintance with some of his lifelong friends like Colet, Thomas More, Latimer, and others. Colet showed him how...