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Notes on the Renaissance Renaissance: The term means “rebirth” and was first penned by historian and art critic Jacob Bruckhardt in 1860 in his book Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy. Many historians look to this period as the birthplace of the modern world Generally accepted that the Renaissance began to take shape in Italy Italians believed they witnessed a rebirth of Greco-Roman civilization (also referred to as antiquity) Important to understand that the continuity in political, economic and social life from the High Middle Ages to the Renaissance Political life Italy undertook two major developments: The rise of despots in place of republican governments and the expansion of larger citystates at the expense of the less powerful ones Five major powers on the Italian peninsula: the duchy of Milan, Venice, Florence, The Papal States, and the kingdom of Naples o North: Milan and Venice o Tuscany: Florence o Central Italy: The Papal States o South: The kingdom of Naples Peace of Lodi (1454): ended a half-century of war between the powers of the Italian Peninsula. Introduction of the balance of power concept that would dominate the European continent for centuries. o Alliance system (Milan, Florence, and Naples vs. The Papal States and Venice): The birth of modern diplomacy o System was keeping states at bay until French (led by Charles VIII) and Spanish (led by Ferdinand of Aragon) intervention occurred around 1494. o Italy would not unify again until 1870 some 400 years later Economic Life After the Black Plague, Europe experienced a period of economic recovery and expansion marked by increases in manufacturing and trade. The development of a money economy and a capitalist system begin due to the vast amounts of wealth accumulated by traders, manufacturers, and bankers. Two main trading fleets existed in Europe 1 o Hanseatic League: 80 cities in northern Europe (Germany and Flanders) among the Baltic and North Seas formed to protect their trading vessels from pirates and competition from rival Scandinavian cities. o Venetian Flanders Fleet: Maintained a direct route from Venice to England and the Low Countries. They lost much of their dominance in the north to the Hanseatic League. They experienced restrictive pressures from the Ottoman Turks (Formerly the Byzantine Empire) in the east. o The city of Bruges becomes a crossroads for trade between Hanseatic League and Venetian Flanders Fleet Industries during this period included: o Woolen goods (textiles) o Luxury items (lace, silk, and glassware) o Printing o Mining (copper, iron, and silver) o Metallurgy (led to the development of powerful firearms) Banking o Florence becomes a banking center in part to the Medici family (with branches in Venice, Milan, Rome, Avignon, Bruges, London, and Lyons) o The Medici’s were so successful because they were the principal bankers for the papacy. o The fall of the Medici family is attribute to Lorenzo de’ Medici (1469-1492) because of poor decision-making. Social Life A tripartite departure from feudalism o Clergy The Church no longer had the ability to assert their authority over temporal governments as the had in the Middle Ages. The popes focused on running the Papal States and recovering from the Great Schism The Schism had created complications in collecting money for the church Indulgences were sold to help secure peoples positions in heaven (money was needed to fund the rebuilding of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome) o Nobility Composed about 2 to 3 percent of the population Dominated society and held important political posts and served as advisors to kings 2 Education is pursued as a means to maintain their role in government Chivalry became more flamboyant and emphasized showmanship The Book of the Courtier by Baldassare Castiglione best expressed the ideals of a noble or aristocrat o Peasants 85-90 percent of the population The most noticeable trend was the decline of the manorial system and the continuing elimination of serfdom. (The opposite was happening in Eastern Europe) Social classes emerge Patricians: wealth from capitalistic enterprises in trade, industry, and banking Petty burghers: shopkeepers, artisans, guild masters, and guildsmen who provided local goods Propertyless workers and unemployed: constituted as much as 30 to 40 percent of the urban population and suffered greatly from poverty Slaves: first re-emerged in Spain as a result of the Reconquista. Slaves were gained from the eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea region, and parts of Africa. Family life played a central role in Renaissance Italy o Included extended household: parents, children, servants, grandparents, widowed mothers, and even unmarried sisters o Crimes committed by an individual would reflect poorly upon an entire family and would result in retaliation from the offended family often resulting in bloody family feuds. Marriages were often arranged to maintain and strengthen families positions in society o The dowry was an important factor in arranging marriages. o In Florence circa 1427 the average distance in age between husband and wife was thirteen years. o Arranged marriages promoted extramarital affairs. o Prostitution flourished since many young men wouldn’t marry until their thirties. A father’s authority over his children remained absolute until he died or formally freed them and children only became adults once their father went before a judge and formally emancipated them. (Anywhere from early teens to late twenties) 3