The Foundations of Early Modern Europe, 1460-1559

Eugene F. Rice, Jr.Anthony Grafton

Main argument

• “Before 1500, Europe imported ideas and techniques; after 1500, Europeans were cultural creditors.”

The Printing Press

• Gutenberg’s printing press• Block printing and paper from China 1250-

1350.• Oil-bases ink and moveable type.• Desire for books, secular and religious.• Printing halted corruption of the scribe and

restored classical texts to near to original integrity.

The New Warfare

• Shaped the pattern of European political and social change.

• Siege warfare altered battlefield-Hundred Years War.

• Emergence of infantry and portable firearms• Arquebus worked with the pike against cavalry• Benefitted ruler seeking to organize large

territory, from nobility to crown.

Science and exploration

Psalter World Map 16th Century Map

Ptolemy to Columbus

• Ptolemy’s Geography. 8,000 precise locations from 2nd CE.

• Errors in Ptolemy’s calculations inspired Columbus to sail westward to China.

• Ptolemy gave way to Mercator and Ortelius and collaboration between men occurred.

• New exploration led to silver and gold discoveries in Mexico and Peru.

Economic Expansion

• New trade routes and increased production of precious metals in Europe paralleled population growth stimulating other industries.

• Banking flourished-Jakob Fugger.• Capitalism appeared; Industrial production

versus craft production.• Rise of merchant diversity

Humanist Culture

• Humanism-Based on the study of the classics colored by notion of human dignity.

• Pathos of historical distance ancient past-medieval-renaissance-present. Secularize historical writing.

• Thomas More-analyze different societies and accept, reject or modify in light of comparative knowledge

• Formal education required to become judge, governor, councilor and military commander.

Sir Thomas More Emperor Charles V

Early Modern State

• 1559-European states more sovereign than feudal.

• Sovereign-makes law, unbound by law and above law.

• Royal councils, professional armies, taxation of the peasants, rise of councilor and bureaucratic government.

• Rise of modern state enables diversity of government to flourish

Hall and Oates

Martin Luther John Calvin

Revolution and Reform

• Most vocal critics of Catholic Church lived in Northern Europe-public acts and money versus spiritual lives of Christians.

• Martin Luther-Salvation by faith alone; not by acts. Papal authority and sacraments invalid and no difference between laity and priesthood. No link between Scripture and tradition.

• John Calvin-Salvation by faith alone. Predestination-the Holy Spirit does not move equally all who hear it. Predestination trumps all since God has decided the fate of every man. Election does not depend on faith.

• Bishops-religious leaders not administrative. Roman Inquisition. Council of Trent-Scripture and tradition.

Counter argument.

• Could the end of the renaissance period have ushered in the modern state in all of its complexity?