Desiderius Erasmus

Desiderius Erasmus (1466–1536) was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, scholar, Catholic priest, and social critic. He was a leading figure of Northern Humanism and is best known for his satirical work 'The Praise of Folly' (1511), which critiqued societal norms and ecclesiastical abuses. Erasmus was influential in both the Protestant and Catholic Reformations through his scholarly editions of the New Testament and other works.