Download The Renaissance

The Renaissance
1300-1600
Italy

Humanism
– Secular themes
 Change from medieval
– Classical beliefs
 Individualism
– Talents
– Education
 Humanities
– Literature
 Sonnets
 Machiavelli
– The prince
– Revolutionary thought
– Moral compromise
– Scholars
 Question/Challenge everything
– Church?
Italy, cont’d.

Society
– Wealth and ability
 Bankers become most powerful
 Upper class
 Hierarchy:
–
–
–
–
–
Bankers
Merchants
Artisans & Shopkeepers
Working Poor
Peasants
Italy, cont’d.

Government
– City-states
 Loose confederation
– Signori
 Authoritarian style
– Military
 Condottieri
 Result?
– Diplomacy
 Ambassadors
 Balance of Power
Italy, cont’d

Florence
– Medici family
– Pro-humanist
– Savonarola
 Rejection of “worldly”
 Not so happy ending

Rome
– Rebuilt by Popes
– Scholars
– St. Peter’s Basilica
Italy, cont’d.

Venice
– Major trading port
– International link
for Italy
– Political stability
 Doge
 Republican style
government
Yes, more Italy…(Yawn)

The Arts
– Architecture
 Classical style
 “Comfort and Beauty”
 Credit
– Sculpture
 Focus on lively activities
– Painting




Human emotion
Lighting
Perspective
Leonardo da Vinci
– Mona Lisa
– Last Supper
 Women
– Access?
Values

Humanism
– Potential and
achievements
– Based on Greek Values
– Importance of the
humanities
 History
 Philosophy
 Literature

Worldly Pleasures
– End of modesty to
show faith
– Wealthy enjoy luxuries
– Secular society
 People concerned with
“here and now”
 Affects all of society
Supporting the Arts

Church leaders spend
large amounts of
money on arts
– Beautify cities

Patrons
– Financially support
artists
– Merchants and
Wealthy families
Gender Roles

Renaissance Man
– “Universal Man”
 Excel in all areas
– Baldassare Castiglione
 The Courtier
– Explains all the
qualities that a
Renaissance man
should have

Renaissance Woman
– Well educated
– Inspiration of art… not
creators of art
The Great Four

Leonardo
– True Renaissance Man
 Inventor, painter,
sculptor, scientist
 Mona Lisa, Last Supper

Michelangelo
– Painter, sculptor
– David, Sistine Chapel
The Great Four, cont’d.

Raphael
– Focuses on realism
 Uses facial expressions
in paintings
– School of Athens

Donatello
– Sculptor
 Human and Equestrian
works
Writing

Vernacular
– Use of native language
instead of Latin
– Purpose?
 Self-expression
 Portray individuality
Spreading the “Word”

Ideas
 Gutenberg
–
–
–
–
Moveable type printing press
Bible (1454)
Literacy rates increase
Prevent errors
The Renaissance Spreads…

France
– Chateaux
 Mix of styles

Northern Europe
– Christian Humanism
 Religious tone
 Seek reform
– Erasmus
 Critical views
– The Praise of Folly
– Makes fun of higher society
 Believed people should study the Bible
– Painting
 Medieval style
Renaissance Abroad…

England
– Starts much later
 Henry VII invites scholars
 Social issues
 Thomas More
– Utopia (Christian Humanism)
 Shakespeare
– Legends, mythology, history
– Universal human qualities
– Relevance…
Protestant Reformation

Criticisms of the Catholic Church
– Leaders were corrupt
 Extravagant spending
 Pursuing worldly affairs
 Having illegitimate children
– People call for reforms
Protestant Reformation, cont’d.

Martin Luther Challenges the Church
– Catholic Monk and teacher (University of
Wittenburg)
– Criticizes Church Officials
 Selling of indulgences
– Buying way into Heaven
 95 theses
– List of criticisms
 Copied and spread through Europe
 Begins Reformation movement
Luther’s Teachings
Salvation by faith in God’s forgiveness
 Church Teachings should be based on the
words of the bible
 All people of Faith are equal

– People do not need priests to interpret the
bible for them
Response
 Pope Leo X
– excommunicates Luther (1520)
 Holy Roman Emperor Charles V
– Wants Luther tried as a heretic
 Luther and followers separate from Catholic
Church
– Creates Lutheranism
 Peasant Revolt (Germany)
– Raid Monasteries through countryside
 German Princes
– Protest Catholic Church
– Creation of Protestantism
 Christians who are non-Catholic
Protestantism in England

Henry VIII (King of
England)
– Devout Catholic
– Political problem
 Needs Male Heir
– Has one daughter
with wife
– Wants to divorce and
remarry to have son
 Church does not allow
for divorce
Solution?

Henry VIII makes
himself head of
England’s Church
– “Act of Supremacy”
– Death for Treason

Wives
– #2 Anne Bolyn
 Daughter, Elizabeth
– #3 Jane Seymour
 Son, Edward
– Marries three more
times…
Heirs to the Throne

Henry’s Legacy
– Edward VI becomes
king at 9 y/o
 England stays
Protestant
 Dies after six year rule
– “Bloody” Mary
 Returns England to
Catholic Rule
 Executes Protestants
– Elizabeth
 Executes Mary
 Returns Kingdom to
Church of England