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Renaissance
The Renaissance
approx. 1300 – 1600 (texts vary)
• Means “rebirth,” specifically the rebirth of
classical knowledge (ancient Greece & Rome)
• “Birth” of the modern world (beginning of
modern European history)
• Bridges the Middle Ages to Modern Times
• Begins in northern Italy (Florence) & spreads
to the Italian city-states & then northern
Europe (c.1450)
By contrast to continental Europe, the
Renaissance did not begin in England
until the 16th century & lasted until the
early 17th century (the time of
Shakespeare)
Renaissance vs. the Middle Ages
• Renaissance was secular, not religious
• Individual, not the group, was emphasized
during the Renaissance
• Renaissance occurred in urban ($), not
rural, areas
• It was the awakening of the human spirit
- feelings & thoughts
The Renaissance begins in Italy
• Center of Greco-Roman civilization
• Centrally located
• Advantages of northern Italian city-states
– Large urban centers
– Wealth from trade
– Merchants as patrons of the arts
Rise of the Italian City-States
• Northern Italian cities (centrally located)
developed international trade which was
linked to the Crusades & the Spice Trade
– Cities included Genoa, Venice, Milan
– The Renaissance started in Florence and
followed the success of the Medici family
which built their power on great wealth from
banking & the manufacture & commerce of
textiles
Politics among the Italian
City-States
• Competition among the city-states meant
that Italy did not unify politically which
would lead to their downfall in the late 15th
and early 16th centuries when French &
Spanish armies invaded Italy
• Before their downfall, an early balance-ofpower pattern emerged
• Italy would not unite until the mid-19th c.
Major city-states & figures
1. Republic of Florence
- Center of the Renaissance in the 14th & 15th Cs
- Dominated by the Medici family
- most powerful: Cosimo de’ Medici
- Lorenzo de’ Medici (the “Magnificent”)
- significant patron of the arts
- son of Cosimo
2. Duchy of Milan – ruled by the Sforza
family after 1450
- major enemy of Venice & Florence
- Peace of Lodi (1454) creates a 40-yr
period of peace which was, in part, a
response to concerns over the
Ottoman conquest of Constantinople
(1453)
- this conquest threatened trade for
western Europe
3. Rome, the Papal States
- popes served as both religious &
political leaders
- controlled much of central Italy
4. Venice, Venetian Republic
- longest lasting of the Italian states
(did not fall to a foreign power
until Napoleon conquered it in
the early 1800s)
- greatest maritime power in Italy
5. Naples, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
- only Italian city-state to officially have
a king
- controlled first by France and then by
Spain after 1453
• Renaissance Italy was largely the product of
an urban society:
– City-states became the centers of Italian political,
economic, & social life.
– A secular spirit emerged as increasing wealth created
new possibilities for the enjoyment of worldly things.
– Large urban centers helped promote wealth from trade
which led merchants to become patrons of the arts which
in turn helped promote literature, art, & science
• Above all, the Renaissance was an age of
recuperation from the calamitous 14th
century.
• As Italy & the rest of Europe recovered
from the Black Death, political disorder, &
economic recession, there was a rebirth of
interest in classical antiquity.
• Linking to their own historical past, Italian
intellectuals became fascinated w/ the
Greco-Roman culture
Renaissance Characteristics
• Was high culture: applied mainly to the
upper class
• Was not religious or scientific but moral &
personal, ie. individualistic
• Basis for the Renaissance – economic
growth
More Characteristics
• There was a revived emphasis on
individual ability and that each person had
dignity and worth (ex. Portrait painting and
autobiographies)
• People began to view life as worthwhile for
its own sake, not a preparation for the
hereafter
• Emphasized reason and a questioning
attitude (contrasts w/ faith, authority, & tradition)
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Even More Characteristics
Marriage vows were business arrangements
which promoted increased wealth
The popolo (poor class) hated their position
and used force to take over the cities
The popolo could not retain power and were
later replaced by despots (signori) or
oligarchies (merchant aristocracies)
Despots showed their wealth by patronizing
the arts – Medici family was an example
• Individual was loyal to their own city-state
(recall ancient Greece)
• Five city-states dominated the peninsula:
Venice, Milan, Florence, the Papal States,
and the Kingdom of Naples
• Cesare Borgia (Machiavelli’s hero and son of
Pope Alexander VI) tried to unite the
peninsula
• While Northern Europe was uniting - Italy
remained fragmented (like a jigsaw puzzle)
• Signing and breaking alliances was common
Decline of Italian city-states
• French invasions began in 1494 under
Charles VIII
– This was the beginning of foreign invasions
throughout the Italian peninsula
Decline cont’d
• Florence
– Medici family lost power when they attempted
to appease the French
– Though the Medici would return to power years
later, Florence was already severely weakened
– Enter Girolamo Savonarola
• Girolamo Savonarola of Florence, a
Dominican friar, became the unofficial
leader b/t 1494-1498.
• He pledged to rid Florence of its
decadence & corruption
• In effect, he established a theocracy
- Initially people supported him but
later he was burned
Italy became a battleground in a series of
power struggles between Spain &
France
Political developments in Italy were observed
by Niccolo Machiavelli
The Prince by Machiavelli
• For Machiavelli, a “good” government was
an effective government
• His work rests on 2 principles:
– Permanent social order reflecting God’s will is
impossible
– Politics should be considered a science
• First modern treatise on government
• Supported absolute power of the monarchy
• Provided guidelines for the acquisition &
maintenance of power:
– “it was better to be feared than to be loved”
– the ruler must act swiftly & decisively
– the “end justifies the means,” ie. right or wrong
does not matter
– do good if possible, evil when necessary
– build the power of the state
The Sack of Rome
• The 1527 sack of Rome by armies of the
Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (who was
also king of Spain) symbolized the end of
the Renaissance in Italy
Renaissance
Developments
• The Renaissance was characterized by a
self-conscious awareness that Italians were
living in a new era
• One of the founders of this movement was
Petrarch who coined the term “Dark Ages”
• The Renaissance was seen as the light after
the gloom of the Dark Ages
• The Roman Empire was seen as the peak of
human civilization, and the Renaissance
was a type of revival for the classics
• Artists of the Renaissance had contempt
for medieval predecessors
• But most people lived exactly the same in
the Renaissance period as the medieval
period
• A deep interest in Latin, a revival of the
antiquity lifestyle, and a more secular
spirit are associated w/ the Renaissance
• A new individualism now appeared
Individualism stressed:
a) personality
b) uniqueness
c) fullest development of capabilities
d) the quest for glory
Individualism & the great potential of
human beings came to be associated
with humanism.
Humanism
Characteristics:
1. revival of antiquity (Greece & Rome) in
philosophy, literature and art
- the study of the classics became known as
“new learning” or “humanism”
- Cicero (from ancient Rome) considered this
important for anyone who considered
himself civilized
- sought to reconcile pagan writings w/
Christian thought
2. a strong belief in individualism and the
great potential of human beings, their
achievements & capabilities
- Virtu: “the quality of being a man”;
- idea of excelling in all of one’s
pursuits
3. a critical spirit & enthusiasm for life
4. Civic humanism: the idea that education
should prepare leaders who would be
active in civic affairs
5. Often, humanism was more secular and lay
dominated
Italian Humanists
1. were deeply religious who sought to reconcile pagan
writings (the classics) w/ Christian thought
2. were skeptical of the authority of the classics because of
the passage of time
3. did study the classics to understand human nature
4. were very Christian - men and women were made in
God’s image
5. rejected classical ideas that opposed Christianity but
sought a harmony between paganism, secularism, and
Christianity.
6. loved the language of the classics
Petrarch
• “father of humanism”
• Wrote in both Latin & Italian
• Encouraged the study of ancient Rome and
its classical literary style
• Wrote beautiful sonnets (poems) expressing
romantic love & appreciation of nature
- many of his sonnets expressed his love
for a married woman named Laura
Pico della Mirandola
Authored Oration on the Dignity of Man
(1486)
1. Perhaps the most famous Renaissance
work on the nature of humankind
2. Humans were created by God & therefore
given tremendous potential for greatness,
& even union with God if they desired it
(represents the “spark of divinity”)
3. Humans had free will to be great or fall
Baldassare Castiglione
Authored The Book of the Courtier (1528)
1. Perhaps the most important work on
Renaissance education
2. Specified qualities necessary to be a true
gentleman
3. Described the ideal of a “Renaissance
man” ( recall virtu)
Secularism
Concerned with the material world not the eternal world
Lorenzo Valla’s On Pleasure defended pleasure; also wrote
On the False Donation of Constantine which weakened the
pope’s authority.
- proved that the Church had not been granted vast
territories by the 4th c. Roman emperor Constantine
Boccaccio’s Decameron about a worldly society
- aimed to impart wisdom of human character & behavior
Papal interests actually encouraged worldliness
(goes against the Church vow of poverty)
NORTHERN
RENAISSANCE
Politics and the State
The Northern Renaissance:
• was a blend of old and new learning
• was more religious than in Italy
• promoted the study of Greek & Hebrew
texts for a greater understanding of
Christianity
• resulted in students from England, Holland,
France, and Germany going to Italy for the
‘new learning’
• Led northern humanists to interpret Italian
ideas in terms of their own traditions
Northern Humanists:
a) were more religious
b) stressed the Bible & early Christian themes
c) developed an ethical way of life
d) believed Classical & Christian cultures
should be combined
e) had a profound faith in the human intellect
f) believed people could be improved through
education
Northern Humanists
• In Germany:
- Western and southern Germany were
economically advanced
- 14th century - mystics like Thomas a
Kempis believed the human soul
could communicate with God
- They did not rebel against the Church
but wanted a deeper religion
In France
Jacques Lefevre d’Etaples, theologian & humanist,
applied humanism to religion
- believed in education
Francois Rabelais, Renaissance writer, doctor and
humanist, was secular
Wrote Gargantua and Pantagruel
- ridiculed fakes & quacks, outmoded ideas
& hypocrisy; believed that man could
perfect himself by using his own mind,
& through natural, joyous living
In England
Thomas More was trained as a lawyer
Deeply interested in the classics
Entered government under Henry VIII
Wrote Utopia ( literally means “no place”)
where all children receive a humanist
education
- he portrayed an ideal country: free from
war, injustice, poverty, & ignorance
- sought a society based on reason rather
than wealth
More believed private
property caused vices
and civil disorder
Lost his life to maintain
his convictions
More's final words on
the scaffold were:
"The King's good
servant, but God's
First."
Low Countries (Benelux countries)
• Erasmus, a Christian humanist, had a deep
appreciation for the classics
- Was a well-respected man in Europe
- Wrote The Education of a Christian Prince
and The Praise of Folly in which he
criticized superstition, prejudice, upper
class privileges, & Church abuses
On Desiderius Erasmus
• His criticisms encouraged people to think
about reforms to improve society
• He sought the simple piety of the Church
• Claimed the popes were so corrupt that they
no longer practiced Christianity
• He promoted intellectual ideas on
humanism
• Primary message: power of education to
promote true reverence for God and in
living out the Gospel message
Two main themes:
1) Education is the
means to reform
2) ‘The philosophy of
Christ’ Christianity
is an inner feeling
The “New Monarchs”
1. Invested kingship w/ strong authority &
national purpose
2. Linked all classes of society within a
boundary
3. Insisted on respect & loyalty
4. Ruthlessly suppressed rebellions &
opposition
5. Relied on the middle-class, the new
bourgeoisie
6. Used balance-of-power politics, ex. Peace
of Lodi
7. Aimed to reassert strong dynastic claims w/
centralizing strategies
The “New Monarchs” established strategies to
centralize power which consisted of:
1. taxation for consistent revenue
2. controlling the aristocracy
3. codifying laws & creating courts
- applied uniform law
4. controlling warfare
5. creating a bureaucracy
6. religious control
FRANCE
Charles VII revived the monarchy
i) expelled the English
ii) increased the influence of the middle class
iii) strengthened finances through taxes like salt (gabelle)
and land (taille)
iv) created first permanent royal army
v) by the Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges (1438) asserted
French Church supremacy over the papacy
- crown could appoint bishops
• His son, Louis XI of the Valois dynasty, was a
Renaissance prince, who promoted industry, improved
the army, and signed international treaties
• The Estates General (legislative branch of government)
would meet only once during his reign
• In 1516, Francis I , who followed Louis XI, signed the
Concordat of Bologna which rescinded the Pragmatic
Sanction (confirming the supremacy of a council over
the pope) - conceding the French king’s right to
nominate bishops thereby keeping France Catholic
• The reign of Francis I would be dominated by the
spread of absolute monarchy, humanism and
Protestantism (much to the displeasure of the Catholic
monarchy)
ENGLAND
Decimated by the Black Death
The Tudors (1485-1603) won the Wars of the Roses
bringing Henry VII to power
They passed laws against nobles having standing
armies to better control them
The monarchs did not depend on government for
money so they were much more independent in
their rule
Royal Council (Star Chamber) was the center of
authority
The Royal Council handled the king’s business
including arranging marriages.
Aristocratic threats were dealt with by the Star
Chamber
The Star Chamber used Roman Law and methods
to enforce the law
a) accused people were not entitled to see the
evidence against them
b) sessions were in secret
c) torture was often used
d) there were no juries
The Tudors promoted peace and order.
Henry VII (1485) rebuilt the monarchy.
- ruled through unpaid officials
- he encouraged trade
- built up the merchant fleet
- crushed an invasion from Ireland
- secured peace with Scotland (his
daughter Margaret married the
Scottish king)
SPAIN
Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon
married (1469) and united the regions
• They ruled through ‘hermandades,’ a
peacekeeping association of armed individuals
• Restructured the royal council - excluded the
rich and powerful
The Catholic Church was the linchpin of the
reform.
Alliance with the Spanish pope Alexander VI:
Spanish monarchs gained great power and a
national church
• They established the “reconquista” (1492) which
led to the expulsion of the Jews and Moors from
Spain; lasted over 100 years
- Conversos- Jews that converted
- Moriscos - Christians of Moorish background
- Marranos - Christians of Jewish background
• Established the Inquisition - the ruthless court
that decided if conversos were telling the truth;
it would eventually be used against the
Protestants
• Ferdinand and Isabella expelling all Jews from
Spain had major economic consequences
(revenue, military strength, laborers and
consumers)
• Absolute religious orthodoxy and pure blood
were the foundation of Spain
• Ferdinand and Isabella’s daughter Joanna
married Philip (from the HRE). Their son was
Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor who
would support the RCC
• Charles V - the ‘Universal Monarch,’ answers to
no other monarch and is seen as supreme
Germany
• Part of the Holy Roman Empire
• Local lords recognized the supremacy of the Holy
Roman Emperor, who was elected by 7 Electors
- Maximilian I, (b.1459 – d. 1519), archduke of Austria,
German king, and Holy Roman emperor (1493–
1519), made his family, the Habsburgs, dominant in
16th-century Europe.
• He (Max. I) married the heiress of the Duke of
Burgundy
• Their son, Philip, married Mad Joanna, daughter of
Ferdinand and Isabella
• Their son was Charles V who became H.R. Emperor
On Technology:
• Johann Gutenberg changed the course of
history with movable type. Printing
made propaganda possible and forced
people into groups i.e. church and state
or Crown and nobility.
- Printing stimulated literacy of lay
people
- encouraged talented men to write
- popularized ideas of the Renaissance
Women
• The status of upper-class women declined
• Women generally had less power than in the
Middle Ages: Why?
• Renaissance humanism represented an
educational advance for a small minority.
• Women had to choose marriage or education
• Education brought jealousy and envy
• Girls in the upper-class were taught how to
dance, paint, and play music - they were
decorative
• Women belonged at home
• Educational opportunities were severely limited
Literary and art works had no effect on
ordinary women
• Women were a sign of wealth.
ORPS!!
Other Renaissance Personalities
Giotto (di Bondone)
• considered the 1st Renaissance painter
• paints human figures that looked
real & lifelike; illusion of depth
• figures seem to interact & show realistic
emotion
Dante Aligheri
• wrote The Divine Comedy (Inferno,
Purgatorio, Paradiso)
– uses real people
– deals with political events
– compares the religious ideas of the Middle
Ages with the worldly concerns of the
Renaissance
– uses the vernacular
Donatello
• wanted his sculpted figures to seem real &
alive;
• wanted to show the strength & grace of the
human form;
• his statue “David” represents the work of
the 1st European sculptor since ancient
times to make a large, free-standing human
figure in the nude
Masaccio
• develops the technique of perspective
(depth, 3-D)
• “father of modern painting”
Raphael
• paints the library of Pope Julius II, a combo
of both Christian & classical ideas &
themes
• known for his Madonnas
• noted for his fresco The School of Athens
which epitomized the ideals embodied not
only by Renaissance art but also by the
Renaissance itself
William Shakespeare
• often considered to be the greatest poet &
playwright of all time
• known for his plays, sonnets, & essays
• skilled at showing human emotions &
probing deeply into the human character
• considered to be the Renaissance writer
who had the most far-reaching influence
• Plays?
Miguel de Cervantes
• wrote Don Quixote which ridiculed feudal
society, especially knighthood & chivalry
• considered to be the first novel, a new form
of literature
Michel Montaigne
• introduced the essay as a sincere literary
form
• his Essays cover a variety of subjects
ranging from cannibalism to bodily
functions to death & dying