History Corpus Christi College, Oxford

1 history

1.1 foundation
1.2 religious ferment
1.3 19th century

history
foundation

the college dates founding 1517, when founder, richard foxe, bishop of winchester, established college statutes. henry viii had granted letters patent in previous year, , building work had started 1512. foxe had stated intended college lodge monks st swythun s priory in winchester; however, under influence of bishop of exeter (and friend of foxe) hugh oldham became humanist enterprise, dedicated study of classics. library, founded @ same time college, probably, when completed, largest , best furnished library in europe . scholar erasmus noted in letter of 1519 first president, john claymond, library inter praecipua decora britanniae ( among chief beauties of britain ), , praised fact biblioteca trilinguis (trilingual library) containing, did, books in latin, greek , hebrew. important spanish humanist juan luis vives taught @ corpus during 1520s while tutor mary tudor, later mary of england.

religious ferment

in 16th , 17th centuries, college again involved in religious ferment. reginald pole, fellow of college in 1520s, archbishop of canterbury during reign of queen mary, , candidate papacy. john rainolds, fellow, , corpus s seventh president, involved in inception , translation of king james bible, published in 1611.

19th century

john keble, leader of oxford movement, undergraduate @ corpus @ start of 19th century, , went on fellowship @ oriel , have college named after him (keble college, oxford).