Who was this Erasmus anyway?

Erasmus of Rotterdam. That is what he called himself. But no, he wasn’t the architect of the Erasmus Bridge. And no, neither was he the founder of Erasmus University. He might not even have been from Rotterdam! Then why is Erasmus so important to this city? And how did he become such an influential character in our university? A crash course by Professor Han van Ruler about his - still - pioneering ideas, his life & work and his homoerotic love letters to a priest.

Everybody here instantly recognizes his name: Desiderius Erasmus. But besides the knowledge that he was ‘some old scholar’ who travelled a lot, not much more is generally known. High time for an introduction to the man who does not seem to need one.

In this lecture, Professor Han van Ruler will introduce us to the life and works of Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus. A crash course on the most important facts and figures about the influential author of famous books like The Praise of Folly, a ‘citizen of the world’, and an advocate of religious tolerance. After this lecture you’ll know what to tell people when they ask you the question: Who was this Erasmus anyway? A must for anyone who never wants to get caught out again at a family party when asked why your employer is called Erasmus.