Constantine Lascaris Byzantine scholar and grammarian Country: Turkey

1. Constantine Lascaris: A Byzantine Scholar in Renaissance Italy
2. Flight from Constantinople
3. The "Grammatica Graeca"
4. Teaching in Italy
5. Legacy
6. Literary Inspiration

Constantine Lascaris: A Byzantine Scholar in Renaissance Italy

Born into the noble Lascaris family in Constantinople, Constantine Lascaris was an eminent scholar and grammarian who played a pivotal role in the revival of Greek learning in Italy.

Flight from Constantinople

Following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, Lascaris sought refuge on the island of Rhodes and subsequently in Italy. In Milan, he became the tutor to the daughter of Francesco Sforza, the Duke of Milan.

The "Grammatica Graeca"

In 1476, Lascaris published his renowned "Grammatica Graeca" (Greek Grammar), the first printed Greek book. This seminal work revolutionized Greek language instruction and became widely used as a foundational text.

Teaching in Italy

After leaving Milan, Lascaris taught in Naples at the invitation of Ferdinand I. He later settled in Messina, Sicily, where he instructed Basilian monks in Greek at the behest of Cardinal Bessarion of Nicaea.

Legacy

Throughout his life, Lascaris taught numerous notable students, including Pietro Bembo, Francesco Giustiniani, and Niccolò Valla. He bequeathed his invaluable manuscript collection to the Senate of Messina, which was later transferred to Spain and is now housed in the National Library of Madrid.

Literary Inspiration

Lascaris's name became widely known through Abel-François Villemain's historical novel "Lascaris, or the Greeks of the 15th Century" (1825), which depicted the scholar's life and contributions.