Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1469-1536) was a Dutch humanist scholar considered one of the greatest thinkers of the Renaissance. A prolific writer who made full use of the printing press, he produced editions of classical authors, educational treatises, translations, dialogues, and letters. Erasmus was a great champion of education, believing this was the best way to reform the medieval church.
More about: Desiderius ErasmusDefinition
Timeline
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c. 1469 - 1536Life of the Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus.
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27 Oct 1469The Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus is born in Rotterdam.
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c. 1487Desiderius Erasmus joins the monastery of the Augustinian monastic order in Steyn.
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Apr 1492Desiderius Erasmus is ordained as a priest.
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1495Desiderius Erasmus studies theology at the University of Paris.
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1499The Dutch Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus travels to England.
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1500Desiderius Erasmus produces his Adagiorum Collectanea, an annotated collection of Greek and Latin adages. It is revised in 1508 and 1515 CE.
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c. 1504The Dutch Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus publishes his Enchiridion Militis Christiani (Handbook of the Christian Soldier).
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1506 - 1509The Dutch Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus spends time in Italy.
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1509 - 1514The Dutch Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus stays in England for a second time.
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1511The Dutch Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus publishes his Moriae Encomium (Praise of Folly) which pokes fun at elements of Catholicism.
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1512The Dutch Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus publishes his On Copia which teaches students how to argue, revise texts, and produce new ones.
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1516The Dutch Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus publishes his Latin and Greek translation of the New Testament (Novum instrumentum).
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1516 - 1517The Dutch Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus publishes his Institutio principis Christiani (Education of a Christian Prince) and Querela pacis (Complaint of Peace).
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1518The Dutch Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus joins the faculty of theology at the university in Leuven.
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1521 - 1529The Dutch Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus lives in Basel, Switzerland.
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c. 1524The Dutch Reniassance scholar Desiderius Erasmus publishes his Paraphrases of the Four Gospels.
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c. 1524The Dutch Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus publishes his De Libero Animo, an argument on free will directed against Martin Luther.
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1528The Dutch Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus publishes his Ciceronianus, an attack on those scholars too preoccupied with Cicero.
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12 Jul 1536The Dutch Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus dies in Basel, Switzerland.