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Erasmus and the “Other”

On Turks, Jews, and Indigenous Peoples

Authors:

  • Defines and classifies Erasmus' attitudes toward non-Christian peoples and groups.

  • Explores Erasmus’ attitudes toward Turks and Jews synthetically and comparatively.

  • Analyzes Erasmus' attitude toward Amerindians and Black Africans.

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Table of contents (14 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
  2. Introduction

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
  3. Turks

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 27-27
    2. Turkish Essence

      • Nathan Ron
      Pages 29-35
    3. Conversion or War

      • Nathan Ron
      Pages 37-45
    4. The Origin of the Turks

      • Nathan Ron
      Pages 47-60
    5. Erasmus and Nicholas of Cusa on Islam

      • Nathan Ron
      Pages 61-76
    6. Displays of Tolerance Toward Islam

      • Nathan Ron
      Pages 97-117
  4. Jews

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 119-119
    2. Methodological Remarks

      • Nathan Ron
      Pages 121-126
    3. Shimon Markish Revisited

      • Nathan Ron
      Pages 127-140
    4. Purification

      • Nathan Ron
      Pages 141-145
    5. By Race Jews, by Religion Christians

      • Nathan Ron
      Pages 147-154
    6. Learned Converts and Erasmians

      • Nathan Ron
      Pages 155-160
    7. Muslims Are Superior to Jews

      • Nathan Ron
      Pages 161-164
  5. Conclusions

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 165-165
    2. Conclusions

      • Nathan Ron
      Pages 167-171
  6. Back Matter

    Pages 173-196

About this book

This book investigates how Erasmus viewed non-Christians and different races, including Muslims, Jews, the indigenous people of the Americas, and Africans. Nathan Ron argues that Erasmus was devoted to Christian Eurocentrism and not as tolerant as he is often portrayed. Erasmus’ thought is situated vis-à-vis the thought of contemporaries such as the cosmographer and humanist Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini who became Pope Pius II; the philosopher, scholar, and Cardinal, Nicholas of Cusa; and the Dominican missionary and famous defender of the Native Americans, Bartolomé Las Casas. Additionally, the relatively moderate attitude toward Islam which was demonstrated by Michael Servetus, Sebastian Franck, and Sebastian Castellio is analyzed in comparison with Erasmus’ harsh attitude toward Islam/Turks.


Reviews

“The book does not dethrone Erasmus as the ‘Prince of Humanists’, yet it does put a timely and welcome big asterisk after that lofty title.” (Koen Scholten, Studia Rosenthaliana, Vol. 48 (1), 2022)

“Nathan Ron’s book helps us to gain some insight not only into Erasmus but also into our own process of understanding the past and our present condition, as scholars and intellectuals.” (William Barker, Renaissance and Reformation, Vol. 43 (1), 2020)

Authors and Affiliations

  • School of History, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel

    Nathan Ron

About the author

Nathan Ron is Research Fellow at the School of History, The University of Haifa, Israel.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Erasmus and the “Other”

  • Book Subtitle: On Turks, Jews, and Indigenous Peoples

  • Authors: Nathan Ron

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24929-8

  • Publisher: Palgrave Pivot Cham

  • eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-24928-1Published: 16 August 2019

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-24931-1Published: 16 August 2020

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-24929-8Published: 03 August 2019

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XIV, 196

  • Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Christian Theology, Early Modern/Renaissance Literature, History of Early Modern Europe

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access