Lorenzo Valla

Lorenzo Valla was a 15th-century Italian scholar known for his critical approach to historical texts and language. He is famous for his work on the "Donation of Constantine," using linguistic analysis to prove it was a forgery. Valla's methods helped advance the study of history and language by emphasizing careful investigation and evidence-based conclusions. His work contributed to the humanist movement, which focused on reviving classical learning and questioning accepted authorities. Overall, Valla played a key role in encouraging critical thinking about documents and history, laying groundwork for modern scholarly inquiry.