Bessarion

Bessarion (; 2 January 1403 – 18 November 1472) was a Byzantine Greek Renaissance humanist, theologian, Catholic cardinal and one of the famed Greek scholars who contributed to the so-called great revival of letters in the 15th century.

He was educated by Gemistus Pletho in Neoplatonic philosophy and later served as the titular Latin Patriarch of Constantinople. He eventually was named a cardinal and was twice considered for the papacy.

His baptismal name was Basil (Greek: Βασίλειος, ''Basileios'' or ''Basilios''). The name Bessarion he took when entering the monastery. He has been mistakenly known also as Johannes Bessarion () due to an erroneous interpretation of Gregory III Mammas. Provided by Wikipedia