Renaissance

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During the medieval period France and England emerged as unified states. The rest of Europe was a mass of fragmented small states and principalities Even as late as 1500 European states had there own ruler, laws, economic system, and judicial system – the one unifying theme was the absolute power of the Catholic Church Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance, was dominated by independent city-states During the medieval period there were hundreds of these city-states but over time many were absorbed by more powerful neighbors At the start of the Renaissance there were probably less than fifty city-states on the Italian peninsula

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Individual had a loyalty to their own city-state Five city-states dominated the peninsula: Venice, Milan, Florence, the Papal State, and the kingdom of Naples Cesare Borgia (Machiavelli’s hero and son of Pope Alexander VI) tried to unite the peninsula Signing and breaking alliances was common Economic growth was the basis for the Renaissance Florentine merchants gained control of the papal banking Northern Italy (centrally located) benefited from the crusades and the spice trade Renaissance started in Florence and follows the success of the Medici family Society in the city-states was very stratified

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As the business class increased their wealth they gradually displaced the power of the nobility The top level, the elites, were known as the popolo grasso (fat people). They gained even more power, prestige, and wealth through patronage and flattery The popolo minuto (little people) hated their position and often used force to take over the cities The popolo could not retain power and were later replaced by despots or oligarchies Despots showed their wealth by patronizing the arts Medici

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Politics

The city-states of northern Italy were not democratic Rebellions and uprisings were crushed By the fourteenth century many were oligarchies ruled by powerful families Some city-states became republics and then returned to an oligarchy Milan was ruled by the Sforza family as hereditary despots Venice remained a republic Since the city-states were usually small the ruler often hired condettieri (mercenaries) to fight against external threats The main city-states were very aggressive and when not dominating smaller neighbors they fought each other

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Savonarola of Florence attacked paganism, vice, undemocratic government of Lorenzo de Medici, and corruption of Pope Alexander VI.

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Initially people supported him but later he was burned at the stake (1498) because people did not share his opinions of the commercial elite

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Florentine, Niccolò Machiavelli had been removed from government when the Medici’s had overthrown the republic in 1512

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He wrote The Prince as blueprint for government For Machiavelli the test of a ‘good’ government was an effective government. Machiavelli’s work rests on two principles: 1) Permanent social order reflecting God’s will is impossible 2) Politics should be considered a science

Renaissance Thought

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It was the awakening of the human spirit - feelings and thoughts High culture so only affected a few Was not religious or scientific but moral and personal In Italy an almost secular attitude appeared as people began to view themselves as civilized than other Europeans Renaissance was characterized by self-conscious awareness that Italians were living in a new era The Renaissance was the light after the gloom of the Dark Ages The Roman Empire was the peak of human civilization One of the founders of this movement was Petrarch

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The Romans had developed the idea of humanitas which included a combination of wisdom and virtue Eventually the term was used to describe the seven liberal arts Renaissance humanists moved away from the medieval scholasticism, which focused on applying reason to theological questions Humanists believed they were reviving the Roman classics Castiglione wrote The Courtier, a manual for good behavior. He described the ideal man as being able to dance, sing, write music, fight, and wrestle – in short being a “universal man” or a Renaissance man, like da Vinci

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Humanism

The study of the classics became known as “new learning” or “humanism”

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Cicero considered this important for anyone who considered himself civilized

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Humanism emphasized: Individualism a) human beings b) human achievements

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c) human capabilities Italian humanism became more of an interest to lay people

Italian Humanists

i) Deeply religious viewed the classics in a new light ii) Skeptical of the authority of the classics because of distance from the author iii) Studied classics to understand human nature iv) Very Christian - men and women were in God’s image v) Rejected classical ideas that opposed Christianity but sought a harmony between paganism, secularism, and Christianity.

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vi) Loved the language of the classics But most people lived exactly the same in the Renaissance period as the medieval period

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Secularism

Concerned with the material world not the eternal world Lorenzo Valla On Pleasure defended pleasure also wrote On the False Donation of Constantine, which weakened the pope’s authority.

Boccaccio Decameron about a worldly society.

Papal interests actually encouraged worldliness

Renaissance Art

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Artists of the Renaissance had contempt for medieval predecessors Brunelleschi used the principles of classical architecture to the Foundling Hospital in Florence Renaissance art flourished because of patronage Michelangelo was hired to paint the Sistine Chapel and to design the Medici tombs in the the church of St Lorenzo in Florence Sometimes the patrons even appeared in the pictures Artists sought to paint realistic pictures and carve realistic sculptures emphasizing nature and human emotions

NORTHERN RENAISSANCE

Politics and the State

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The Renaissance in the north was slightly later than in Italy It also tended to less of a complete break from the philosophies of the Middle Ages The greatest difference was that in the north it was much more religious The humanists in the north were called Christian humanists because they want to gain a deeper understanding of Christianity The source of their understanding was the work of the Church Fathers and the scriptures Christian humanists stressed biblical themes and finding an ethical way to live They advocated social reforms based on Christian ideals

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Humanists studied Greek and Hebrew texts for a greater understanding of Christianity, but they stressed the use of reason over accepted dogma Students from England, Holland, France, and Germany went to Italy for the ‘new learning’ New universities opened across northern Europe, especially in Germany (Wittenberg was founded in 1502) Northern humanists interpreted Italian ideas in terms of their own traditions They believed people could be improved through education

Northern Humanists

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In England Thomas More was the preeminent English humanist He had been trained as a lawyer His household was a model for Christian lifestyle and he was visited by humanists from all over Europe Deeply interested in the classics Entered government under Henry VIII and as ambassador to Flanders Wrote Utopia (1516) [means “nowhere] where all children receive a humanist education

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More believed private property caused vices and civil disorder He believed the individual could be improved if the institutions of society were reformed Lost his life to maintain his convictions and refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy for Henry VIII

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Low Countries Desiderius Erasmus was probably the most respected man in Europe Influenced by John Colet in England Erasmus, like other humanists, had a deep appreciation for the classics Wrote The Education of a Christian Prince which made suggestions for the character of a ruler based on the work of classical scholars Also wrote The Praise of Folly

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Two main themes: 1) Education is the means to reform

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2) ‘The philosophy of Christ’ Christianity is an inner feeling Erasmus criticized the abuses of the Catholic Church but he was very careful not to promote trouble He believed the Church could be made better by correcting the abuses Erasmus “laid the egg that Luther hatched”

In France Jacques Lefevre d’Etaples applied humanism to religion Believed in education Rabelais was secular Wrote Gargantua and Pantagruel John Calvin was a French humanist

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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

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‘New Monarchs’

While Italy remained a collection of relatively weak city states in northern Europe the political landscape was changing Monarchs in England, France, and Spain were all actively building states This new breed of leader was ruthless and preferred security to love They used the monarchy to guarantee law and order and they also determined the role of religion The despots of Italy, Henry VII of England, Louis XI of France, Ferdinand of Aragon All Machiavellian (but could not have read The Prince)

1) invested kingship with strong authority and national purpose 2) Monarchy linked all classes of society within a boundary 3) Insisted on respect and loyalty 4) Ruthless oppressed rebellions and opposition 5) Loved the business of kingship

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6) Tended to rely on the middle-class - new bourgeoisie, who benefited from political stability and peace Kings were able to use taxes to build armies and then they used the armies to eliminate competition and solidify their rule Advances in military technology (first the longbow and the gun) enabled foot soldiers to fight against cavalry Military success was now based on peasants not nobles

ENGLAND

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Decimated by the Black Death The Tudors (1485-1603) won War of the Roses Henry VII was the first Tudor monarch He passed laws against nobles having standing armies The monarch did not depend on government for money so much more independent Royal Council (Star Chamber) was the center of authority and used to maintain law and order

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The Royal Council handled the king’s business including arranging marriages Aristocratic threats were dealt with by the Star Chamber 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

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The Tudors promoted peace and order Henry VII (1485) rebuilt the monarchy and created sense of national identity

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Ruled through unpaid officials a) he encouraged trade b) built up the merchant fleet c) crushed the Irish d) secured peace with Scotland (his daughter Margaret married the Scottish king)

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

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His son, Louis XI (Valois - 1461) was a Renaissance prince Promoted industry improved the army signed international treaties The Estates General met only once during his reign 1516 Pope Leo X and Francis I signed the Concordat of Bologna – the king could appoint bishops

SPAIN

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Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon married (1469) and united the regions They ruled through ‘hermandades’ Restructured the royal council - excluded the rich and powerful The church was the linchpin of the reform.

Alliance with the Spanish pope Alexander VI Spanish monarchs gained great power and a national church

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reconquista (1492) - 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 inquisition - the ruthless court that decided if conversos were telling the truth later used against the Protestants

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Ferdinand and Isabella expelling all Jews from Spain had major economic consequences Absolute religious orthodoxy and pure blood were the foundation of Spain Ferdinand and Isabella’s daughter Joanna married Philip. Their son was Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.

Charles V - the ‘Universal Monarch’

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Germany

Part of the Holy Roman Empire Local lords recognized the supremacy of the Emperor, who was elected by 7 Electors 1452 Archduke of Austria (Habsburg) was elected Emperor Maximilian I (1493-1519) He married the heiress of the Duke of Burgundy Their son, Philip married Mad Joanna, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella

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Their son was Charles V

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Johann Gutenberg changed the course of history with the movable print. Printing made propaganda possible and forced people into groups i.e. church and state or Crown and nobility Printing stimulated literacy of lay people

Women

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The status of upper-class women declined women generally had less power than in the Middle Ages Renaissance humanism represented an educational advance for a small minority Women had to choose marriage or education Education brought jealousy and envy

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Girls in the upper-class were taught how to dance, paint, and play music - they were decorative Love and sex also worsened during the Renaissance 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