Download Renaissance Italy

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http://www.kmkz.com/jonesj/gallery/renaissance%20italy%5B1%5D.jpg
Renaissance Italy
Why It’s Important
• humanism- belief in the importance of people
• Renaissance- French word meaning “rebirth”
• people became interested in the world around
them
The Italian CityStates
• Italy- center of Renaissance; made of
independent city-states; wealthy from trade
• powerful families took control and ruled
– gained loyalty by having parades & entertainment
– built churches & palaces
– schools made to educate rich boys
City Life
• merchants & shopkeepers live above their
shops
• rich large houses w/
courtyards
• most people were poor
• piazza- central square (buy goods, see
parades, talk to friends, etc)
City Life
• marriages were arranged (did not marry for
love)
• men wore tunics & tights
• women wore flowing dresses
• rich wore bright colors
Florence
• Renaissance began here
• Lorenzo de Medici- ruler (in 1478)
http://www.abm-enterprises.net/medici.jpg
– nicknamed “the Magnificent”
– made Florence center for art and learning
Florence
• Savonarola- monk who overthrew the Medicis
(1494)
– got rid of parties, gambling, horse-racing, etc.
– supporters burned paintings, books, fancy clothes,
& musical instruments
– hanged 4 years later for heresy
(for falsely claiming to see religious visions)
• Medicis returned to power
http://www.tracts.ukgo.com/images/savonarola2.jpg
The Papal States
• Popes lost power
• Rodrigo Borgia became Pope Alexander VI in
1492 by bribing cardinals
– made an army; lost land
– died in 1503
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20101102233060/a
ssassinscreed/images/b/b7/Rodrigo_Borgia.jpg
– acted more like political rulers than church leaders
Venice
• Renaissance ‘arrived’ late in the 1500s b/c
Venetians looked to Constantinople for art
and literature
• Venice had canals
– business district called The Rialto
Venice
• ruled by wealthy merchants
– controlled the Council of Ten, who decided guilt or
innocence
– choose official ruler called the ‘doge’ (had little
power, controlled by Council of Ten)