Italy: Birthplace of RenaissanceItaly’s Advantages• Renaissance- period (rebirth) from 1300-1600 which
witnessed a revival in art and in learning• Educated ppl in Italy hoped to bring back the culture of
classical Greece and Rome• Italy had 3 advantages that made it the birthplace of the
Renaissance:1. Thriving Cities2. Wealthy Merchant Class3. Classical heritage of Greece and Rome
City-States• During the Crusades, overseas trading created a
commercial society where ideas could be traded • The plague kills up to 60% in urban areas, allowing
survivors to demand higher wages• Little opportunity to expand business, so many people
pursue different interests such as art and music
Merchants and the Medici• Wealthy merchant class develops in each Italian city-state• Merchants didn’t inherit their wealth, they earned it this
leads to the belief that they deserved their power and wealth
• Florence switches from being ruled by a republican form of gvmt to a dictatorship under the banking Medici family
Looking to Greece and Rome• Scholars looked down on the art and literature of the
Middle Ages and focused on Classical Greece and Rome• They studied the Roman ruins, and Latin manuscripts from
various monasteries• When the Seljuk Turks ransack Constantinople in 1453,
Christian scholars fled to Rome with Greek manuscripts
Classical and Worldly Values
Classics Lead to Humanism• Study of classical texts led to humanism (focused on human
potential and achievements)• Emphasized study of the humanities (history, philosophy,
literature, etc)
Worldly Pleasures• Humanists argue that you can enjoy life without offending
God (didn’t have to eat plan food and wear rough clothes)• While most remained Catholic, the basic spirit of the
Renaissance was secular
Patrons of the Arts• Church leaders spend large amounts of money on
beautifying Rome• Those who supported the artists became “patrons of the
arts”
Renaissance Man• Renaissance writers introduce idea that men should master
every area of study• Baldassare Castiglione’s The Courtier suggests that young
men should be charming, witty, well-educated in classics, be able to dance, sing, play music, and write poetry. In addition he should be a skilled rider, wrestler, and swordsman
Renaissance Woman• According to The Courtier, women should also be charming
and know the classics• Expected to inspire art, not create it• More educated than medieval women, but not involved in
politics• Few women, like Isabelle d’Este, had power. She married a
ruler of a city-state, and even won his release when he was captured in war
Renaissance Revolutionizes Art• Renaissance painters used perspective to show three
dimensions on a flat surface
Realistic Painting and Sculpture• Michelangelo and Donatello paint and sculpt realistically to
show individual characteristics
Leonardo, Renaissance Man• Was a true Renaissance man (studied muscles and veins
from leaves to understand how to paint them)• Painted the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper
Raphael Advances Realism• Studied the works of Leonardo and Michelangelo • Filled the walls of Pope Julius II’s library with paintings
(School of Athens)
Anguissola and Gentileschi• Renaissance society generally restricted women’s roles, but
some women became notable painters• Sofonisba Anguissola gains an international reputation for
her works, and Artemisia Gentileschi painted with her father to gain prominence
Renaissance Writers Change Literature
Petrarch and Boccaccio• Francesco Petrarch known as the father of Renaissance
humanism. • He was also a great poet who wrote in Latin and Italian• Wrote 14 line sonnets that included tragedy and comedy
Machiavelli Advises Rulers• The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli dissects the imperfect
nature of humans• not concerned with what was morally right, but what was
politically effective • Argued that a prince must sometimes mislead people and lie
to his opponents to maintain control and power
Vittoria Colonna• Born into a noble family, and marries Marquis of Pescara. • As he is away on military campaigns, Vittoria writes her
husband 14 line sonnets about how she misses him
• …..toward the end of the 15th century, Renaissance ideas were spreading out of Italy and into the rest of Europe.
Northern Renaissance• By the 15th century, Renaissance ideas had spread to
England, France, Germany, and Flanders (Netherlands)
Northern Renaissance Begins• After the Hundred Years War ended in 1453, the merchant
class gained enough wealth to be able to sponsor artists• Unlike in Italy, which was split up between city-states,
France and England were united under strong monarchies whose monarchs also enjoyed Renaissance art
Artistic Ideas Spread• 1494 a French king claimed the throne of Naples, Italy and
launched an invasion through North Italy.• As the war continued, many artists fled Italy in search of
safety and ended up spreading Renaissance ideas• Northern European artists who studied in Italy also carried
back Renaissance culture with them.
German Painters• Albrecht Durer traveled to Italy in 1494 to study art• When he returned home to Germany and produced
woodcuts and engravings displaying Renaissance technique• Durer’s works influenced Hans Holbein• Holbein specialized in painting portraits• Hans migrated to England to paint King Henry VIII and his
family toward the end of his career
Flemish Painters• Jan van Eyck used oil-based paints• The oil paint allowed artists to create a variety of base
colors by applying layer upon layer of paint• In 1550 Pieter Bruegel brings Flemish art to its climax
through his depictions of everyday peasant life (weddings, dances, and harvests) seemed like a real portrayal of life
Northern Writers Try to Reform Society• Humanists criticize the Church for failing to inspire people to
live a Christian life push for Christian humanism• Focus of this mvmt was the reform of society• Wanted to reform education to include women
Christian Humanists• Bests known humanists were Desiderius Erasmus of
Holland and Thomas More of England• In 1509, Erasmus wrote The Praise of Folly, which poked fun
at greedy merchants, heartsick lovers, conflicted scholars, and pompous priests
• Erasmus believed in Christianity of the heart, not of ceremony believed reading the Bible was necessary to improve society
• Thomas More wrote Utopia, which depicts a place where there was little greed and need for money was minute
Women’s Reforms• The few families who could afford to educate their children
only sent their sons• Christine de Pizan, a highly educated woman, spoke out
about this• She was the first European woman to speak out about the
different treatment of boys and girls
Elizabethan Age• The Renaissance spread to England around the mid 16th
century, and was named after Queen Elizabeth I (r. 1558-1603)
William Shakespeare• Most famous writer of Elizabethan Age was Shakespeare• His works displayed a masterful command of the English
language and a deep understanding of human beings• His most famous works are Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello,
Romeo and Juliet, and King Lear
Painting Spreads Renaissance Ideas• Chinese invent block printing, in which a printer carved
latters on a block and then painted them, which was then used to print on paper
Gutenberg Improves the Printing Press• Block printing came to Europe, but was too slow to publish
books at the demand Europeans were requesting them• Around 1440, Johann Gutenberg (German) invents the
printing press• The printing press made publication of books easier and
cheaper• In 1455, Gutenberg printed a complete Bible Gutenberg
Bible• Books become more common, and literacy among the
lower classes increased
Legacy of the Renaissance• European Renaissance marked a break from the medieval-
period ideals that were focused on the Church• Belief in the dignity of the individual led to democratic
ideas• Impact of the printing press continued to be huge
Changes in the Arts• Art drew on styles from classical Greece and Rome• Paintings/sculptures were more realistic and lifelike• Arts praised individual achievements
Changes in Society• Printing changed society by making more information
available for cheap to the masses• Published accounts of new discoveries, maps, and charts
led to further exploration• Published legal proceedings made the laws more concrete• Humanists changed the view of how Christians should live
their lives
Luther Leads the Reformation• In response to the criticism the Church received, one man
leads the Church to rebellionCauses of the Reformation• Ppl thought the Church leaders were corrupt• Lower level clergy could barely read, let alone teach • Some lower level clergy broke priestly vows (drank,
married, or gambled)Early Causes for Reform• Reformers such as John Wycliffe and Jan Hus paved the way
for Christian humanists such as Desiderius Erasmus and Thomas More to suggest reform to the Church
Luther Challenges the Church• All he intended to do was be a good Christian, not
necessarily lead a religious revolution95 Theses• In 1517, Luther takes a public stance against a friar named
Johann Tetzel who sells indulgences to rebuild St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome
• The 95 Theses were statements that attacked the “pardon-merchants”
• In October of 1517 he posts these statements on the door of the castle church in Wittenburg, and this sparked the Reformation
• Reformation- movement for religious reform that did not accept the pope’s authority
Luther’s Teachings• Rested on 3 ideas1. People could win salvation only by faith in God’s gift of forgiveness.
Church taught that faith and “good works” were needed for salvation
2. All Church teachings should be clearly based on the words of the Bible. Both the pope and Church traditions were false authorities
3. All people with faith were equal. Therefore, people did not need priests to interpret the Bible for them.
Response to Luther• With aid of the printing press, Luther’s ideas spread all
throughout Europe, displaying the mass discontent of pplPope’s Threat• Initially the Church officials see Luther as a rebellious monk,
but as he gains followers they realize that he’s a serious threat to the papacy
• In 1520, Pope Leo X threatened Luther with excommunication if he didn’t retract his teachings
• Luther burns the letter from the pope, and Leo X excommunicated him from the Church
• Emperor’s Opposition• The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, disliked Luther also• Charles V summoned Luther to trial in Worms in 1521 to
recant his statements, and Luther refuses• A month after Luther’s speech in “The Protestant
Reformation”, Charles V issued the Edict of Worms, which declared Luther a heretic and outlaw.
• According to the edict, no one in the empire was to give Luther food or shelter, and all of his books were to be burned
• One man disobeyed these orders (Prince Frederick of Saxony) he takes Luther in and Luther translates the New Testament in to German.
• When he returned to Wittenburg in 1522, he and his followers stopped trying to reform the Catholic Church and instead broke off and called themselves Lutherans
Peasant’s Revolt• In 1524, excited by Luther’s teachings on Christian freedom,
German peasants demanded an end to serfdom • Groups of angry peasants spread throughout the
countryside raiding monasteries, pillaging, and burning• The revolts horrified Luther, and he wrote a letter to
German princes telling them to squash the revolts 100,000 peasants were killed and they begin rejecting Luther’s religious leadership
Germany at War• Around 1530, there are some German princes who support
the pope and some who support Luther. • The princes who support Luther sign a protest and because
of this become known as “Protestants”• Trying to unify his kingdom under Catholicism, Charles V
goes to war because the Protestants won’t convert.• While he defeats the Protestants in 1547, he fails to unite
them under Catholicism• In 1555, he invites Protestant princes and Catholic princes
to meet in Augsburg• They sign the Peace of Augsburg, which declared that each
prince would decide the religion of his state
England Becomes Protestant• Catholic Church soon finds resistance in EnglandHenry VIII Wants a Son• Henry was named “Defender of Faith” by the pope after
denouncing Luther’s ideas early in the 16th century, but his religious loyalty is tested when he fails to produce a male heir
• The Catholic Church wouldn’t let Henry VIII divorce and remarry
• Henry VIII asks the pope to “annul” his marriage, but the pope turns him down because he doesn’t want to anger Catherine’s (of Aragon) nephew
Reformation Parliament• In 1529 Henry VIII calls Parliament into session and tries to
end the papal power in England Reformation Parliament• In 1533, Henry VIII secretly marries Anne Boleyn, and
Parliament legalized his divorce from Catherine• In 1534, Parliament passes the Act of Supremacy, which
called on the people to take an oath of allegiance to Henry VIII being the head of the Church in England rather than the pope
• The Act of Supremacy met some criticism Thomas Moore refuses to sign the oath and Henry VIII has him executed
Consequences on Henry’s Actions• Anne Boleyn’s first child with Henry was a female, and he
blamed her for it he charges her with treason and was beheaded in 1536
• Henry took a third wife, Jane Seymour and in 1537 she gave him a son named Edward.
• Jane died, and Henry married three more times • After Henry’s death in 1547, his three children rule England in
turn: Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth• Edward takes over at the age of 9, and is guided by Protestant
advisers rules for 6 yrs due to illness• Mary (daughter of Catherine) took over the throne in 1553.
She was a Catholic and returned the Church to the pope. She had many Protestants executed
• When Mary died in 1558, Elizabeth (Anne Boleyn’s daughter), took the throne
Elizabeth Restores Protestantism• Determined to return England to Protestantism, Elizabeth I
and Parliament create the Anglican Church (Church of England) in 1559
• Elizabeth was the head of the Church• The church was aimed at pleasing moderate Catholics as
well as moderate Protestants priests were allowed to marry and deliver sermons in English rather than Latin. The Anglican church kept some Catholic sentiment such as the rich robes.
Elizabeth Faces Other Challenges• She brings religious peace to England• Both Protestants and Catholics wish she would lean more in
their respective favors• Philip II of Spain posed a threat also because he was
Catholic• Money problems led to the need to colonize the Americas
in the 1500’s
The Reformation Continues• Under the leadership of Queen Elizabeth, the Anglican
church appeased Catholics and Protestants• Protestantism sprang up all throughout Europe
Calvin Continues the Reformation• Calvin was 8 when Luther wrote his 95 Theses• In 1536, Calvin published his Institutes of the Christian
Religion, which expressed ideas about salvation and human nature
• He believed in predestination, and that God only chooses the “elite”
• His teachings became known as Calvanism
Calvin Leads Reformation in Switzerland• He believed that the ideal government was a theocracy• In 1541, Protestants in Geneva ask Calvin to lead their city• Calvin and his followers ran the city according to strict rulesCalvinism Spreads• Visiting Geneva, John Knox takes Calvin’s preaching ideas
back to Scotland. • The church that formed in Scotland became known as
Presbyterians• The Scots denounce the rule of their Catholic leader, Mary
Queen of Scots, in favor of her infant son and announce Calvinism as their official religion
• Spreads to France as well, where followers are called Huguenots
Other Protestant Reforms• Protestants taught that you need to read the Bible to
uncover its truths, but as people start interpreting for themselves their understandings differ
The Anabaptists• People who rebaptized those who had been baptized as
children• The believed in separation of church and state, and refused
to fight wars• Seen as radicals, Protestants and Catholics both viewed
Anabaptists as a threat• Are the foundation on which Quakers and Baptists are
cousins to the Anabaptists
Women’s Role in the Reformation• Many women played important roles in the Reformation• Marguerite of Navarre protected Calvin from being
executed for his beliefs while he was in France• Some women spoke out against injustices Katherina Zell
scolds a minister for speaking badly about another minister• Even Luther’s wife argued with him about women’s equal
position in marriage• As Protestant religions became more established and
formal, women’s roles were more refined to the housework
The Catholic Reformation• Even though Protestantism gained followers, millions
remained Catholic• The movement that kept Catholics loyal to the church was
called the Catholic Reformation (Counter Reformation)• Important leaders were Ignatius Loyola and Pope Paul III and
Pope Paul IVIgnatius Loyola• Grew up in father’s castle in Loyola, Spain• Injured in war in 1521, and underwent a spiritual revival• Wrote Spiritual Exercises which were a plan of prayer, meditation,
and study of God’s word• Gaining followers for the next 20 years, his people became known
as Jesuits in the religious order called Society of Jesus• Jesuits focused on three activities: founding schools in Europe,
converting to Catholicism, and to stop the spread of Protestantism
Reforming Popes• Two popes reform the Catholic Church: Paul III and Paul IV• Paul III investigated the investiture incident, he approved
the Jesuit order, used the Inquisition to seek out heresy in papal territory, and ordered the Council of Trent
• From 1545-1563, at the Council of Trent the clergy agreed on:
1. Church’s interpretation of the Bible was the only one2. Needed faith and good works for salvation3. Bible and Church authorities are equally powerful 4. Indulgences were valid expressions of faith, but false
selling of them was banned• The next pope, Paul IV created the Index of Forbidden
Books 10,000 books in one day at Venice, Italy
Legacy of the Reformation• Set the stage for the modern world, and left Europe religiously
dividedReligious and Social Effects• Both Catholics and Protestants emphasized the importance of
learning led to foundation of Parish schools • New denominations emerged Jesuits, Calvanists, Lutherans• Women hoped to see their roles in society change, but for the
most part they didn’t Political Effects• As the Catholic Church’s power declined, monarchs and states
gained power led to est. of modern nation-states• The Reformation’s questioning of beliefs laid the foundation
for the Enlightenment, which was an intellectual movement that swept through Europe during the 1700’s
