Despite having enemies in the powerful Spanish religious orders, and being warned of the controversies that would arise, Erasmus published the fourth edition of his New Testament in 1527, resulting in a major crisis for Erasmianism in Spain. This period is marked by a bitter battle between Erasmus and the conservative elements in Spain, involving behind-the-scenes maneuvering, where it was impossible to distinguish friend from foe. Following this tension, a confrontation culminated in the Valladolid conference where enemies of Erasmus were obliged to come forward, and where, following these events, Erasmus himself was forced to publically respond to the charges brought against him.

The three texts in the present volume: An Apologia of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam Against a Number of Articles Presented by Certain Monks in Spain; The Answer of Desiderius Erasmus to the Pamphlet of a Certain Fever-ridden Individual; and, Letter to Certain Highly Impudent Jackdaws were written in response to his critics.

Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1466–1536), a Dutch humanist, Catholic priest, and scholar, was one of the most influential Renaissance figures. A professor of divinity and Greek, Erasmus wrote, taught, and travelled, meeting with Europe’s foremost scholars. A prolific author, Erasmus wrote on both ecclesiastic and general human interest subjects.

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Charles Fantazzi is a professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at East Carolina University and a professor emeritus in the Department of Classics at the University of Windsor.

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