Basilios Bessarion, Greek cardinal and scholar (d. 1472)
Bessarion (Greek: Βησσαρίων; 2 January 1403 – 18 November 1472) was a Byzantine Greek Renaissance humanist and theologian, Catholic cardinal bishop and the titular Latin Patriarch of Constantinople 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. Later, he became a Catholic 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 (Italian: Giovanni Bessarione) due to an erroneous interpretation of Gregory III Mammas.