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Erasmus

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A 16th-century portrait of Desiderius Erasmus, a famous scholar, wearing period clothing and holding a book.

Who Was Erasmus?

Erasmus was a clever teacher and writer from the Netherlands in the 1500s. He loved learning and wrote many books that people all over Europe read. He is famous for making careful copies of old important books, like stories about Jesus.

What Did Erasmus Do?

Erasmus wrote in Latin, a special language that scholars used. Two of his most famous books are The Praise of Folly and On Civility in Children. He believed in being kind and peaceful, even when people disagreed. Even though he belonged to the Catholic Church, some powerful people did not like his ideas.

Where Did Erasmus Live?

Erasmus was born in Rotterdam, a city in the Netherlands. He traveled a lot during his life. He visited places like Paris, England, Italy, and many others. He made friends with kings, popes, and other smart people.

Why Do We Remember Erasmus?

Erasmus helped people think about kindness, peace, and understanding. His books taught many lessons about life. Even today, there are universities and bridges named after him, like the Erasmus University and the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam. Artists like Albrecht Dürer and Hans Holbein painted pictures of him, and statues of him can be found in many places.

Images

An old printed page from a 1633 book showing Greek text that helped shape important religious translations.
An ornate book illustration with classical designs, including cornucopias, a figure of Eve, decorative columns, and angelic figures known as putti.
A statue of Erasmus, a famous historical scholar, created by the artist Hendrick de Keyser.
Portrait of the scholar Erasmus painted by Hans Holbein the Younger in the 16th century.
A printed book of the ancient Roman poet Horace, published in 1501 by the famous printer Aldus Manutius.
Portrait of Sir Thomas More, a famous English scholar and statesman, painted by Hans Holbein the Younger in the 1500s.
A 16th-century portrait painting of Peter Gillis by Quinten Massijs, displayed in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.
A bust of the famous scholar Erasmus, located in Gouda, Netherlands.
Portrait of Damião de Góis, a historical figure, painted in the 1500s by Albrecht Dürer.
Portrait of William Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury, from the early 16th century.
Portrait of Cuthbert Tunstall, Bishop of Durham, from the 1500s, displayed at Auckland Castle.
Portrait of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam with Renaissance Pilaster.

Related articles

Europe
Jesus
Catholic Church
Paris
England
Italy

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Erasmus, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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