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The Renaissance
The “Rebirth” of Civilization
When was the Renaissance?
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Although it is hard to
find an exact starting
and ending date for
the Renaissance,
most scholars agree
it lasts from c. 1350
– 1550.
Where was the Renaissance?
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The Renaissance
began in Florence and
quickly spread to
other parts of Italy,
including Rome,
Milan, and Naples.
It later spread to N.
Europe, including
Flanders, the Dutch
Republic, England,
and parts of the HRE.
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Europe in
1550
What was the Renaissance?
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Renaissance, French word for "rebirth"
What was reborn?? A “rebirth” of civilization
A renewal of interest in classical (Greek &
Roman) ideas and ideals and a desire to imitate
the classical world Greece & Rome
What else???
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A relaxation of strict, church-controlled
attitudes toward education, individualism,
and action.
a time of creativity and change-spirit of
adventure & a time of intellectual and
economic changes that occurred in Europe
Only a small percentage of the Middle and
aristocratic class population was involved
Used classical ideas to find man’s purpose
within Christian teachings and promote
learning of all kinds
Why did the Renaissance Happen?
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Florence became a very wealthy state due
to trade (esp. in wool) and banking.
The reintroduction of “new” works by the
Moors ignited an intellectual revolution.
Why else???
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The Medici family was extremely
wealthy and spent great sums of
money in Florence.
The church was losing its power &
authority in the wake of new
discoveries and the Great Schism.
Other Factors
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Agrarian economy is becoming a
commercial business
Workers who survived the plague can
demand higher wages
Powerful and wealthy merchant class is
growing in the cities
Fortunes are being made in banking and
trade
Why else did it happen?
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Castiglione’s The Courtier:
uomu universale skilled in all
arts, sciences, handsome,
soldier, athlete, poet, student.
Also, sprezzatura.
Machiavelli’s The Prince:
demonstrated how noble
princes should lead
but sanctioned realpolitik.
Printing Presses made
works available.
Why else did it happen?
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Perhaps what was most important
was Humanism—the rebirth of the human
spirit.
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An emphasis on human everyday experience,
the here & now!
Individual achievement was highly valued
Developing an educational background from
the classical
The ”Renaissance “man” or “woman” ideal
was the person with talent in many fields.
Humanism, the Renaissance Spirit

A new intellectual movement
that started in Italy
 Studied classical cultures
& writings philosophers
Greek and Romans
 Focused on secular (nonreligious) themes not
religious;
Humanists…
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Believed education could
improve oneself and
stimulate creativity
Opened schools teaching
humanities: Greek, Latin,
Philosophy, History, Poetry,
Grammar and Literature
Writers of the era focused
on topics of ambition and
individual success
Results of Humanism
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Experienced an age in which artistic,
social, scientific and political thought
turned in new directions
More people are concerned with their
jobs, money and status.
Religion becomes less important in
western Europe but maintains its hold in
the interior of the continent.
Appreciation for the arts as a product of
mankind; not just a religious symbol
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Known as the father of
humanism for his restoration
of the Latin language and
push for the study of
classical literature
First modern poet
Pushed for the use of ancient
Greek and Roman
manuscripts: Homer, Virgil &
Cicero
His own writings inspired
others like Shakespeare and
Chaucer
Most famous for his Sonnets
to Laura
Francesco
Petrarch
Why did the Ren. Begin in Italy?
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Center of the Roman
civilization –had all the
remains of the glory that was
Rome in architectural and
artistic fields
Italian cities had survived the
Middle Ages and grown into
prosperous centers of trade
and manufacturing.
A wealthy merchant class in
the Italian city-states stressed
education and individual
achievement and spent
lavishly on the arts.
The Role of Florence
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Like most city-states, it was a center of banking,
trade and manufacturing
Became the cultural center of Europe whose patron
influence by the Medici family made it possible
Florence produced an amazing number of gifted
poets, artists, architects, scholars, and scientists.
The Medici Family
Leaders of the Cultural Revolution
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Medici: Italian banking and political familyruled Florence for almost three centuries.
Through its extensive European commerce
and banking, the family became one of
the richest in 15th-century Italy.
Invited philosophers and writers to their
homes and court when in political power.
Patronage of the arts became a tradition
in the Medici family and encouraged
patronage by others in the community.
Lorenzo the Magnificent
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A gifted poet in his own
right, Lorenzo surrounded
himself with the leading
artists and intellectuals of
his day.
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One of the largest spenders of
the Medici’s for the arts
Among those who enjoyed his
patronage were the painters
Botticelli, Ghirlandaio and
Michelangelo and poets and
philosophers.