AP EH CH 12: RECOVERY AND REBIRTH: THE AGE OF THE RENAISSANCE

I. MEANING AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RENAISSANCE

A. Jacob Burckhardt
1. Swiss Historian
2. wrote Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy in 1860
3. Renaissance in Italy represented birth of modern world
B. Renaissance (1350-1550)
1. means rebirth
2. In Italy, a rediscovery of antiquity or Greco-Roman culture took place
3. era of recovery after Black Death
C. Characteristics:
1. revival of antiquity
a. art
b. politics
c. pagan philosophy
d. perfecting of the individual
e. secularism
f. emphasized worth of the individual
2.primarily urban
3. primarily limited to upper class
a. wealthy patrons
b. artists
c. intellectuals
II. THE MAKING OF RENAISSANCE SOCIETY
A. began during an era of severe economic difficulties
B. by the middle of the 15th Century, a gradual economic recovery had begun
C. increase in volume of manufacturing and trade
D. did NOT match economic prosperity of High Middle Ages
E. Medici Family
1. made Italian city-state of Florence the birthplace of European Renaissance
2. Medici family controlled the finances within Florence
3. had banking houses in Venice, Milan, Rome, Avignon, Bruges, London, Lyons
4. primary bankers of the papacy
5. fell into ruin in 1494 due to bad loans
6. had property in Florence confiscated by the French
F. Hanseatic League (aka Hansa)
1. commercial and military alliance set up off the north coast of Germany in the
13th Century.
2. by 1500, over 80 Northern European Cities belonged to the League
3. for over 200 years, had monopoly of Northern European trade in several
industries including timber, fishing, and metallurgy
4. competition from large territorial states eventually led to Leagues decline
G. Technological Advances of the Renaissance
1. printing
2. mining
3. metallurgy
H. Social Classes in the Renaissance
1. in the 15th Century, 3rd Estate consisted of peasants, merchants, and artisans
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2. slavery was reintroduced largely due to the shortages in labor caused by the
Black Death
3. slaves from Africa and Eastern Mediterranean used mainly as domestic servants
and skilled workers in Renaissance Italy
4. serfdom declined in Western Europe compared to Eastern Europe
5. in the 16th Century, aristocracy still dominated society as it had done in the
Middle Ages
6. nobility made up roughly 2 to 3 % of total population in most European countries
7. banquets were used to express wealth and power of aristocratic families
I. Baldassare Castiglione (1478-1529)
1. Italian writer
2. wrote The Book of the Courtier
3. laid out what was expected of an aristocrat including:
Aristocrats should:
a. impeccable character and grace
b. should participate in the military and physical pursuits
c. must be classically educated
d. must have well developed personality
e. must follow code of conduct
J. The Family in Renaissance Italy
1. family played an important role in Renaissance society
2. families that were related and bore the surname often lived near each other and
might dominate an entire urban district
3. a crime committed by one family member fell on the entire family (vendetta)
4. marriages were arranged by parents often to strengthen business or family ties
5. average age difference between husbands and wives was 13 years (often led to
infidelity)
6. Italian families were patriarchal
7. women managed the household which gave them a certain amount of
independence in their daily lives
8. women were supposed to bear large families
A. 10% of all women died during childbirth
B. mortality rate was 50% for children under 20.
9. charitable action by wealthy families often included giving to the homeless
III. ITALIAN STATES OF THE RENAISSANCE
A. by the 15th Century, five major powers dominated the Italian peninsula
1. duchy of Milan
} dominated Northern Italy
2. Venice
3. Florence
} dominated Tuscany
4. The Papal States } Central Italy
5. Kingdom of Naples } Southern Italy---most residents were poor and didnt
see any of the benefits of the Renaissance
B. Federigo da Montefeltro
1. ruled independent Italian city-state of Urbino from 1444 to 1482
2. received a classical humanist education in Mantua
3. compensated for poverty of Urbino by hiring himself out as a condottiere
(mercenary): surprisingly honest and able
4. good ruler who kept his word
5. great patron of Renaissance culture
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6. wife was Battista Sforza

a. ruled competently when husband was absent
b. patron of the arts
c. well-educatedcould speak Greek and Latin
C. Isabella dEste (1474-1539)
1. probably the most famous of the Renaissance-ruling women
2. married to the marquis of Mantua
3. effective ruler known for her intelligence and political wisdom
4. attracted artists and intellectuals to Mantua
5. responsible for amassing one of the finest libraries in Italy.
D. Peace of Lodi (1454)
1. ended almost a half century of war in Italy
2. ushered in a peaceful era that lasted for 40 years
3. good example of an agreement which allowed for a balance of power between
multiple, competing territorial states
E. Italian Political Weakness
1. few Italians conceived of creating an alliance or confederation that could repel
foreign invaders
2. Italians were loyal to their petty states not a singular unifying group
3. as a result, Italy was constantly invaded by outside powers
4. in the late 15th Century, Italy was being fought over by France and Spain
F. Birth of Modern Diplomacy
1. modern diplomatic system was product of the Italian Renaissance
2. the modern role of ambassador was developed during this time
3. rights of ambassadors in host countries was developed
4. proper procedures for conducting diplomatic business was developed
5. purpose of ambassador was to put his states interest above all other interests
G. Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527)
1. best example of Renaissance interest in political power
2. civil servant in Florence after the 1494 ouster of Medicis
3. forced out of the civil service in 1512 due to pressure from the French
4. wrote the Prince in 1513
a. one of the most famous treatises on political power ever written
b. political ideas stemmed from his preoccupation with Italys problems and
his knowledge of ancient Rome.
c. Main concerns were acquiring and expanding power to maintain order
d. Believed ends justified means
5. considered founder of modern secular power politics
IV. THE INTELLECTUAL RENAISSANCE IN ITALY
---the emergence & growth of individualism and secularism as characteristics of the
Italian Renaissance are most noticeable in the intellectual and artistic realms
A. Italian Renaissance Humanism
1. humanism is the most important literary movement associated with the
Renaissance
2. was a form of education & culture based on the study of the Greco-Roman
classics above all else
3. the Greek language was a subject of particular interest to 15th Century
humanists

4. main effect on the writing of history was the secularization of historiography and
the explanation of change over time (Guicciardini considered best historian of
era.)
B. Petrarch (1304-1374)
1. considered by many to be the father of humanism during the Renaissance
2. he was the first intellectual to characterize the Middle Ages as a period of
darkness whose people were ignorant of antiquity
3. emphasized use of pure classical Latin
4. viewed intellectual life as one of solitude
C. Leonardo Bruni (1370-1444)
1. humanist & Florentine patriot
2. used Cicero as a role model
3. thought literary creation could & should be fused with political action
4. thought person could only mature by being actively involved in society
D. Lorenzo Valla (1407-1457)
1. raised in Rome and educated in both Latin & Greek
2. became secretary to Pope Nicholas V
3. concentrated on critiquing ancient texts
4. gained lasting fame by proving that the Donation of Constantine, a document
long used by popes to back their claims to temporal power in the west, was a
complete papal forgery
E. Poggio Bracciolini (1380-1459)
1. born and educated in Florence
2. avid collector of manuscripts while papal secretary
3. best known for his work Facetiae (collection of jokes)
4. believed study of classics was completely compatible with Christianity
Neoplatonism
1. based on the ideas of a hierarchy of substances and spiritual love
2. was revived when Marsilio Ficino (Florentine Scholar) translated many of Platos
works
Corpus Hermeticum
1. Greek work translated into Latin by Ficino upon request of Cosimo d Medici
2. contained writings on the occult as well as theological and philosophical
speculations of great interests to humanists
Oration on the Dignity of Man
1. written by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola in the late 1400s as a preface to his
900 Conclusions
2. states that humans could choose to be earthly or spiritual creatures
Education in the Renaissance
1. humanism had a profound effect on education
2. primary goal was the creation of well-rounded, virtuous, and ethical citizens
(Renaissance Man)
3. emphasized liberal arts instruction including:
a. Grammar & Logic
b. Greek & Latin
c. Poetry
d. Mathematics
e. Astronomy
f. Music
g. Physical Education
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4. education was primarily geared to educate the children of societys elite.

Impact of Printing
1. one of the most technologically important advances in the history of Western
Civilization
2. printing press was created between 1445 and 1450 by Johannes Gutenberg
perfecting movable type
3. democratized literacy in European society allowing new ideas to spread more
quickly in Europe than in other cultures
4. helped spur the Protestant Reformation
V. The Artistic Renaissance
A. artists of this era considered the imitation of nature to be primary goal
B. Giotto and Masaccio were early inspiration for later Renaissance artists
C. Italian artists of the 15th Century began to experiment in areas of perspective (ex:
Paolo Uccello)
D. Florence became an artistic hotbed
1. Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510)
a. leading Florentine painter of the late 15th Century
b. paintings heavily influenced by Greek & Roman mythology & have
other worldly quality (ex: Primavera)
2. Donato di Donatello (1386-1466)
a. leading Renaissance sculptor
b.Studied & copied the statues of antiquity
c. most famous work is his statue David
d. work radiated a simplicity and strength that reflected the dignity of humanity
e. did work commissioned by Medici family
3. Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446)
a. friend of Donatello
b. drew inspiration from Roman architects
c. his design at the Church of Lorenzo with classical columns & rounded
arches stood in stark contrast to the medieval cathedrals with their
Gothic features
d. did work commissioned by the Medici family
E. High Renaissance Artists
--Three artists dominated the High Renaissance they were:
1. Leonardo da Vinci
a. transitional artist from the early to high Renaissance
b. Stressed the need to advance beyond almost scientific realism and began
later eras focus of the idealization of nature
c. Last Supper (1498)is a great example of what da Vinci found important
2. Raphael (1483-1520)
a. by 25 was already considered one of Italys best painters
b. achieved fame early in his career for various paintings of the Madonna
c. definitely try to idealize nature in his works
d. School of Athens (1510-1511)an example
e. known for frescoes in Vatican
3. Michelangelo (1475-1564)
a. painter, sculptor, & architect
b. influenced by Neoplatonism (ex: ceiling of Sistine Chapel [1509-1512])
c. idealized human form
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d. beauty equated with Godliness

e. David (1501-1504) was a 14ft. marble statue commissioned by
Florentine Govt
f. largest Italian sculpture since Roman time
--All three were seen as artistic geniuses
--profited greatly from their endeavors
--Medici family must be counted among the great patrons of arts during this
time
F. Northern European Artists
1. unlike in Italy where the human form became the primary vehicle of
expression, Northern artists of the Renaissance focused more on
illuminated manuscripts and wooden panel paintings.
2. were masters at rendering detail (not very interested in perspective)
3. placed great emphasis on the emotional intensity of religious feeling
4. Jan van Eyck (1390?-1441)
a. among the first artists to use oil paint
b. oil paint allowed artists to paint with more detail
c. Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride known for attention to detail
5. Albrecht Drer (1471-1528)
a. German artists who blended the attention to detail of Northern artists &
the perspective and proportion of the Italians.
b. Self-Portrait at 28 (1500)
c. Adoration of the Magi (1504)good example of this blending
G. Music in the Renaissance
1. the dukes of Burgundy of Northern Europe were among the greatest patrons of
Renaissance music.
2. the dukes attracted some of the greatest artists and musicians of the day
including the great French composer Guillaume Dufay (1400-1474)
3. Dufay was one of the first to use secular tunes in place of Gregorian chants in
mass
4. the Renaissance madrigal was a poem set to music with origins in 14th Century
Italy
VI. The European State in the Renaissance
--rulers began checking the violent activities of their nobles
--rulers emphasized the need for order
--power became more centralized
--first examples of the modern secular state began to emerge
New Monarchies
1. often obsessed with acquisition and expansion of power
2. reestablished the centralized power of monarchial governments
3. attempted to control the church within their national borders
4. demanded loyalty from people living within boundaries
5. FRANCE
a. Hundred Years War reinvigorated and strengthened the French Monarchy
b. Charles VII (1422-1461)
c. Used the war as the reason to strengthen royal authority
d. gained control of the purse strings from Estates-General
e. Through Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges (1438), he gained substantial
control over Roman Catholic Church activities in France
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f. Louis XI (1461-1483)
1. called the Spider because of his clever and devious ways
2. strengthened royal authority and control of purse strings
3. encouraged growth of commerce & industry
4. eventually consolidated various noble lands under his control
6. ENGLAND
a. Hundred Years War caused economic turmoil and strengthened nobility in
England
b. Hundred Years War brought about a civil war in England (War of the
Roses)
c. Lancasters (Red) vs. Yorks (White)
d. Henry Tudor defeated Richard III (last York king) at Bosworth Field and
founded Tudor dynasty
e. Henry VII (1485-1509)
1. established a strong central government
2. weakened power of nobility by eliminating their private armies
3. established Star Chamber to deal with problem nobles
4. very successful at extracting income from royal lands, judicial fees and
fines, and custom duties
5. kept taxes low by using diplomacy to avoid wars
6. encouraged commercial activity
7. SPAIN
a. emerged from wars with Muslim Moors with Spain fractured into several
independent Christian kingdoms
b. Isabella of Castile (1474-1504) & Ferdinand of Aragon (1479-1516)
1. marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella in 1469 helped put Spain on path of
reunification
2. kingdoms of Castile & Aragon still operated separately
3. bureaucrats replaced nobility in government posts in both kingdoms
4. monarchy strengthened
5. formed national militia to check noble power
6. given power to select high ranking church officials within
Spain----------------------------------7. persecuted and expelled Muslims and Jews
8. enforced religious orthodoxy through Inquisition
9. grandson of Isabella and Ferdinand, Charles I, became powerful
monarch of a mostly unified Spain
8. HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE
a. failed to develop strong monarchial authority
b. after 1438, Hapsburg family controlled H.R.E
c. use dynastic marriages to come to power
1. Frederick lll (1440-1493)
a. lost Bohemia & Hungary
b. gained Franche-Comte in east-central France, Luxembourg, and a
large part of low countries
c. new territories made them a power
d. Brought undying opposition of the French who feared Hapsburg
encirclement
2. Maximilian I (1493-1519)
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a. efforts to centralize power failed due to strong opposition from

German nobility
b. marriage alliances only real success
c. grandson Charles I became the head of the royal houses of
Burgundy, the Hapsburgs, & Spain
d. independent princes developed bureaucracies & standing armies
which posed a threat to the power of the H.R.E. & church
9. EASTERN EUROPE
a. rulers struggled to achieve centralization of their territorial states
b. much Polish history centered on disputes between crown & nobility
c. Russia was just coming out from under yolk of Mongols
10. BYZANTINE EMPIRE
a. threatened by the steadily advancing Ottoman Turks
b. by the 13th Century Ottoman Turks spread rapidly seizing lands in Asia
Minor from both the Seljuk Turks and the Byzantine Empire
c. Constantinople was overrun in 1453
d. By the end of the 15th Century, the Ottoman Turks threatened H.R.E.
11. THE CHURCH AND THE RENAISSANCE
a. patronized Renaissance culture
b. participated in temporal authority & interest
c. fought church councils
d. was often seen as debauched, especially under Pope Alexander Vl