The Reception of Erasmus and the Fall of James II
It is perhaps surprising to see the name and legacy of Erasmus embroiled in the party politics of late Stuart England. What did either the Whigs or the Tories have in common with Erasmus? In fact, authors from both incipient parties saw significant advantage in claiming Erasmus as a respected author...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
Erasmus studies
Year: 2025, Volume: 45, Issue: 2, Pages: 219-244 |
| RelBib Classification: | CG Christianity and Politics KAH Church history 1648-1913; modern history KBF British Isles KDB Roman Catholic Church KDE Anglican Church SA Church law; state-church law ZC Politics in general |
| Further subjects: | B
Desiderius Erasmus
B Gilbert Burnet B John Locke B Samuel Parker B James II B Roger L’Estrange B 1688 B Glorious Revolution B Edward Stillingfleet B Restoration B William Penn B Sir Peter Pett B reception of Erasmus B Declaration of Indulgence |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | It is perhaps surprising to see the name and legacy of Erasmus embroiled in the party politics of late Stuart England. What did either the Whigs or the Tories have in common with Erasmus? In fact, authors from both incipient parties saw significant advantage in claiming Erasmus as a respected authority for key elements of their own agendas. They also sought to use the reputation and writings of Erasmus to support their competing interpretations of the English past. In 1685, Tories saw the moderation and tolerance of the English Erasmian legacy as a model that could build support for the Catholic James II. Whigs, meanwhile, sought to undermine this argument by portraying Erasmus as anti-Catholic, anti-papal, and anti-authoritarian. Both factions understood that history was the foundation for legitimacy and that public perceptions about the nature of the English Reformation and the Elizabethan settlement could determine the success or failure of their competing visions for the future of England. Claiming Erasmus, both believed, was important for the acceptance of the rival stories they each sought to tell. |
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| Contains: | Enthalten in: Erasmus studies
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/18749275-04502005 |
