Erasmus wrote In Praise of Folly in Latin in 1509. Having formed its outline during his travels in Italy and Germany, the author revised and expanded the work during his stay with his friend Sir Thomas More in Bucklersbury, England. "Folly" is considered one of the most influential works in Western literature and a catalyst for the Reformation. The work enjoyed great popular success, much to Erasmus's astonishment and sometimes his dismay. Even Pope Leo X found it amusing.
