Description: (Former critic best known for his historical-critical textual analysis that proved that the Donation of Constantine was a forgery)
Lorenzo Valla, an Italian Renaissance humanist and scholar, is renowned for his historical-critical analysis of texts. His work revealed the Donation of Constantine as a forgery, questioning the temporal authority asserted by the papacy. This revelation greatly weakened the papacy's influence. Valla's contributions are seen as crucial during the Renaissance and are seen as laying the groundwork for the Reformation, as he rigorously scrutinized historical texts and challenged prevailing beliefs.