Erasmus.

One of the greatest thinkers and writers of the Renaissance was the ..1.. scholar Desiderius Erasmus.

Erasmus lived in a troubled ..2.. . The medieval idea of feudalism was in decline, and new ideas ..3.. being developed. At the same time, the corruption of the church was ..4.. people restless and confused. In an era of growing fanaticism and violence Erasmus was a voice ..5.. calm and moderation. With Europe splitting ..6.. different religious factions, he tried to maintain peace and unity.

..7.. Erasmus was a powerful critic of the corruption of the church, he did not reject the past. We have records of his arguments with Martin Luther, the leader of those ..8.. wanted a complete change. However, Erasmus' appeals for reason and tolerance were not heard in the increasingly ..9.. religious debate.

He visited most countries of Europe and won the friendship ..10.. leading scholars of his time. Erasmus wrote his Encomium moriae ..11.. a stay in England. While in the city of Cambridge, he criticised the beer as being too weak, but he seems to have ..12.. an admirer of English girls.

Erasmus saw the Latin language ..13.. of the things which could help to bring unity to Europe. In 1516 he published a new Latin translation of the New Testament. This work caused him ..14.. recognised as one of the greatest writers of his generation. He died in 1536 ..15.. the age of seventy.