Download Italian Renaissance

Chapter 5 Section 1
Trade with Asia
The Silk Road Reopens
– Silk Road- caravan route
that started in China and
ended at the
Mediterranean Sea.
– The Silk Road gets its
name from the lucrative
Chinese silk trade, a major
reason for the connection
of trade routes into an
extensive trans-continental
network.
Marco Polo
Marco…..
• Marco Polo
– was a Venetian merchant traveler
– His father Niccolo and uncle Maffeo traveled
throughout China.
– They met Kublai Khan and eventually held
important positions in the Chinese
Government in Peking.
– When they returned to meet Marco they
ventured back to Asia.
– They spent over 24 years on their journey.
Mongol Empire
Polo Captured by Genoa
• At the time when Marco Polo returned
from Asia Venice was at war with
Genoa .
• The two cities were fighting for the
trade of the world.
• In a great naval battle the Venetians
were completely defeated and Marco
was captured by the enemy.
Rustichello da Pisa
• For a year he was confined in a
Genoese prison.
• One of his fellow-prisoners was a
skillful penman and Marco Polo
dictated to him an account of his
experiences in China, Japan, and other
Eastern countries.
– Written by Rusticello da Pisa
II Milione
• The book was called II Milione
(The Million). His writings made
people curious about Asian
cultures.
• Called The Travels of Marco Polo in
English
• Trade grew significantly after the
spark of interest in foreign cultures.
Kublai Khan
Trading Cities in Italy
• Trade Cities in Italy
– 4 major trading cities:
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•
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Florence
Genoa
Milan
Venice
• 2 Important roles of trade cities
– Sea ports on the Mediterranean (Venice and Genoa)
– Manufacturing centers. Each city produced certain
goods.
• Venice- Glass
• Milan- Weapons and silk
• Florence- wool weaving into cloth
Milan
• One of the richest city-states in all of Italy.
– Prospered from trade and an efficient tax
system
• The Visconti family ruled Milan from 12771447.
• The last Visconti ruler died in 1447.
– There were no more male heirs.
• Francesco Sforza conquered Milan.
– Father of Ludvico Sforza
Francesco Sforza
Biscione….Visconti’s symbol
Venice
• Venice was a republic that had a leader
called a doge.
– Venetian word meaning leader. Venice and
Genoa had a doge.
• Venice was essentially run by a group of
merchant-aristocrats that made
government decisions based on their own
interests.
– Aristocrat- a member of a ruling class or of
the nobility.
Venice
Genoa
• Sea port in Italy during
the Renaissance.
• Holy Roman Emperor
was the overlord and the
Bishop of Genoa was the
president.
• Consuls held the actual
power in the city.
– Consuls- elected
officials by the Roman
Republic.
Florence, Italy
– Wealth began with the
trade of wool but banking
increased their wealth
greatly.
– Bankers began earning
money by making loans
and charging interest.
• Interest- fee that
lenders charge people
who borrow money
from them.
– Florence had a republican
form of government similar
to the U.S.
Cosimo de’ Medici
•The greatest
banking family was
the Medici family.
•Cosimo de’ Medici
was the most
powerful member of
the family and ruled
Florence by 1434.
•Wanted Florence to
be the most beautiful
city in the world
Cosimo de’ Medici
• Paid architects to redesign much of the city to
ensure its beauty.
• Built libraries and collected books to enhance
education
• Under his power Florence became the center
of Italian art, literature, and culture.
• His grandson Lorenzo also played an integral
part in Florence.
Girolamo Savonarola
• Girolamo Savonarola began condemning the
corruption and excesses of the Medici family.
• Savonarola gained enough followers to control
Florence.
• People grew tired of how strict he was on things
like gambling, horseracing, swearing, painting,
music, books….
• He attacked the corruption of the church.
– Accused of heresy and sentenced to death in
1498.
• The Medici regained power after his death.
Girolamo Savonarola
Beginning of the Renaissance
• Renaissance- “rebirth” and refers to
the period that followed Europe’s
Middle Ages.
• Interest in art and literature revived,
especially in ancient Greek and
Roman works.
• New ways of thinking emerged during
this time period.
Important Factors of the
Renaissance
• Largely an urban society.
• Was an age of recovery from the
disasters of the 14th century like the
plague, political instability, and a
decline of church power.
• A new view of human beings emerged
as people began to emphasize
individual ability.
Italian Writers and Artists
Sources of inspiration:
By the 1300s scholars had begun to broaden their interest beyond religious
study.
Italian Writers and Artists
• Began studying poetry, history, art, and
the Greek and Latin languages.
– Known as humanities
• Humanism- a way of thinking and
learning that stresses the importance of
human abilities and actions.
Sources of Inspiration
• Interest in the humanities was linked to the
rediscovery of ancient writings.
• Ancient classical writings by Greek
thinkers were brought to Italy by scholars
who tried to escape the Turks
• Many Latin texts were found in
monasteries
• These discoveries led to a renewal of
classical Greek and Roman culture
Niccolo Machiavelli
•
•
•
•
Italian writer and politician.
He is one of the main founders of modern political science
He did not care about theories or what should work. Only interested in what
really happened in war and peace.
Wrote The Prince. Gave leaders advice on how to rule.
Baldassare Castiglione
• Italian diplomat and prominent
Renaissance author.
• Wrote The Book of the Courtier
• Described the characteristics of a
perfect Renaissance noble:
– He was born, not made.
– Must have character, grace, and
talent.
– Had to develop two basic skills.
– Had to perform military and
physical exericses.
– Expected to have a classical
education.
Family and Marriage
• The family bond was very
important during the
Renaissance in Italy.
• To maintain the family, parents
carefully arranged marriages,
often to strengthen business or
family ties.
• Most important aspect of
marriage was the dowry.
– Dowry- a sum of money
given by the wife’s family to
the husband upon
marriage.
Family and Marriage
• The father-husband was the center of the family.
• He gave it his name, managed all finances, and made
the decisions that determined his children’s lives.
• Mother’s chief role was to supervise the household.
• A father’s authority over his children was absolute until
he died or formally freed his children.
• Children became adults when their father went before a
judge and formally freed them.
• Age of adulthood varied between early teens to the late
twenties.