Erasmus and Northern Humanism

What happened

The Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1469–1536), one of the founders of Renaissance humanism, made full use of the printing press to publish editions of classical authors and fresh translations of the New Testament. His satire In Praise of Folly (1511) mocked the failings of church and society, urging reform through education and a return to the sources.

Why it matters

Erasmus carried humanism north of the Alps and made it a European movement; his scholarship and calls for reform helped prepare the ground for the Reformation, even as he remained within the Catholic Church.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia. Desiderius Erasmus · Reputable source