Who is Desiderius Erasmus from Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Education: A Biographical Introduction and what is their importance?

Desiderius Erasmus is the name of a Dutch priest of the Augustinian religious order who was an acknowledged Renaissance humanist and worldwide educator. Desiderius Erasmus lived from 1466-1536 during the Renaissance that revived or renewed interest in humanist dimensions of life and culture. Erasmus' origin was shrouded in a questionably legitimate birth by his father Gerard who was a priest and his housekeeper in either Gouda or Rotterdam, Netherlands. Erasmus was intellectually gifted and became a priest in 1492 in the Augustinian order. He entered the University of Paris and later became a humanist scholar at Oxford University under patronage of William Blount. Erasmus was a friend of Thomas More until King Henry VIII convicted him of treason and executed him. Erasmus traveled widely meeting humanist scholars to learn by associating with them. He urged a return to simplicity and purity of the early church. Erasmus was appointed professor of divinity and Greek at Cambridge in 1511. His great work on political philosophy and education offered kinder and gentler advice to rulers replacing the manipulation and subterfuge of Machiavelli's prince. Erasmus saw international education for peace but looked back to classic Greek and Latin rather than ahead.