Corpus Christi College, Oxford

History

The college was founded in 1517 by Richard Fox, the Bishop of Winchester. Although intended as a traditional training college for secular clergy, under the influence of Hugh Oldham it became the foremost humanist enterprise in Oxford, the model for many subsequent foundations. Fox was a humanist and interested in classical literature. He founded a library which was very progressive for the time. The library included books in Latin, Greek and even Hebrew – and was praised by Erasmus on a visit to Oxford as a "biblioteca trilinguis". The important Spanish humanist Juan Luis Vives taught at Corpus while tutor to Mary Tudor, later Queen Mary I.

Related Topics:
1517 - Richard Fox - Bishop - Winchester - Hugh Oldham - Erasmus - Juan Luis Vives

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The humanistic ideas of the founder are still important to the college today, with a continued emphasis on the teaching of Latin, Ancient Greek, and ancient history.

Related Topics:
Latin - Ancient Greek - Ancient history

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The college attempts to select the brightest students regardless of their social background. Corpus Christi has around 350 students (of which roughly 220 are undergraduates), which makes it one of the smallest colleges in Oxford.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Visitor of the College is ex officio the Bishop of Winchester, currently Michael Scott-Joynt.

Related Topics:
Bishop of Winchester - Michael Scott-Joynt

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~