Historic Humanist Series

Desiderius Erasmus was born Gerrit Gerritszoon October 26, 1466, in Rotterdam. He later assumed the Latin name he is known by. He studied at Cambridge where he became close friends with leading English scholars and helped to establish humanism in England. Many of his writings attacked corrupt church practices and religious scholasticism.

Erasmus expounded enlightened educational views and advocated teaching Latin to children before they started school. His war against superstition and his humanist views resulted in his works being listed in the Index of Forbidden Books by the Council of Trent.

--Flo Wineriter