Transcript The Renaissance - Ms. Gurr's Class

The
Renaissance
General Characteristics
• Rebirth of Greco-Roman ideals
– Architecture & Art
– Continues literary revival of Greek & Roman
classics
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Individualism
Strong Christian/religious overtone
Greater secularism
New scientific values
Age of Recovery
Elite movement
Transition Period
• Decentralized feudalism to political
centralization
• Agricultural economy to commercial
economy
• Church dominated to secular control of
thought & culture
Italian Renaissance
• Begins in Italy– spreads northward
• Italy– not unified– divided into city-states
– Despots in Milan & Venice
• Florence
– De Medicis
• Cosimo de Medici
• Lorenzo the Magnificent
• Merchant class but still despots
• Patrons of the arts
Humanism
• Studied original Latin &
Greek texts
• Liberal arts program
• Dignity of humankind–
virtuous action– virtu
• Humanities– what makes us
human
Francesco Petrarch
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Father of Humanism
Letters to the Ancient Dead
Love sonnets
Attacked scholasticism– secular &
Christian values do not always
coexist peacefully
• Wrote in Italian-- vernacular
Giovanni Boccaccio
• Decameron
–Tales about the plague in
Florence
–Social commentary on sexual
& economic misconduct
Plague
Lorenzo Valla
• Exposed the Donation of
Constantine
–Original texts
–Anachronistic language
• Exposed errors in Latin
Vulgate
Education
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Studied Greek & Roman classics
Revival of physical activity
Rhetoric & grammar
Value of learning
Focus on Plato
Well-rounded– focus on liberal arts
Embraced humanism agenda
Renaissance Literature
• Baldassare Castiglione
– Book of the Courtier
– Well-rounded man; Renaissance man
• Christine de Pisan
– Lyric poetry
– The City of the Ladies
• Niccolo Machiavelli
– The Prince
– Strong ruler to unite Italy
– Handbook for keeping power
Renaissance Art
• Rise of secularism although
religion was still important
• Focuses on the individual &
emotions
• No longer about the afterlife
• Perspective
• Chiaroscuro
• Idealistic but natural
Italian Politics
• Not united-- loyal to city-state
• Savonarola rules Florence
– Protects from French invasion by
Charles VIII
– Executed in 1498 for antipapal policies
and ridiculous morality
• Pope Julius II
– Pushed out the French
– Granted Concordat of Bologna in 1516
Italy-- Economics
• Dominated commerce until
15th century
• Banking
–Medici family
• Slave labor
• Merchants– middle class
Italian Society
• Marriage:
–Arranged
–Move up or down in society
• Children
–Wet nurses
–Large families
–50% mortality rate before age 20
The Northern
Renaissance
Characteristics
• Created favorable climate for
Reformation
• Influenced by Italian Renaissance
• Religion played a more influential role
• Wrote for lay audiences & the
educated
• Writers– more diverse backgrounds
Christian Humanism
• AKA Northern Humanism
• Original texts but emphasized religious texts
& religious questions
– Focused on sources of early Christianity,
the Scriptures, & writings of Augustine
• Emphasized a simple religion that had been
distorted by the Church’s theologians
• Use Christian sources to progress &
improve– to reform the Church & its laity.
• Emphasis on education to reform humankind
Erasmus
• Most famous Christian humanist
• Colloquies– dialogues to satirize religious
behavior
• Adages– published proverbs
• Reform individuals by studying the classics &
the Bible– power of education
• Greek edition of New Testament
• Praise of Folly– also a satire
• Handbook of a Christian Knight– Christianity
should guide people– not the Church
• Placed on Index of Prohibited Books
Sir Thomas More
• Utopia (1516)– idealistic life based on
Christian principles
– New social system– cooperation
replaces power & fame
– No private property– communal
ownership
• Religiously devoted to the Church
• Clash w/ Henry VIII-- executed
Printing Press
• 1450s, Johann Gutenberg invented
printing w/ movable type
• Printing– profitable new trade & profession
• Tool for propaganda
• Challenges to political authority
• Mass production of indulgences
• Literacy increases
Compare & contrast
the two types of
humanism & the
two Renaissances
The New
Monarchies
Characteristics
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Uniform law & order
Legitimate source of authority
Army
Taxation
Makes & enforces law
Desire for absolute control– no
division of power w/ church
England
• Tudor dynasty– Henry VII
–Wars of the Roses
–Lancasters vs. York
–Lancasters win
• Prohibited livery & maintenance
• Star Chamber– royal court
• Limited by Parliament
France
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Louis XI– Valois line
Power over taxation
Power over clergy
Pragmatic Sanction– Church
controlled its affairs
• Concordat of Bologna–
–Pope has annates
–King appoints bishops & clergy
Spain
• Ferdinand & Isabella
• Reconquista– built a national
feeling based on Christianity
• Expulsion of Jews & Moors
• Spanish Inquisition
• Conquest of Granada-- 1492
Holy Roman Empire
• Princely states, priestly states, & free cities
• Emperor elected– actually weakened his
power
• Habsburg family dominated emperorship
– Gained control over large tracts of
Europe
– Universal monarchy
– Other nations feared absorption into this
empire