AP Euro 4 Idiots

c.1350-1550

Period of European history that followed the Middle Ages.  The Middle Ages was a time of little progress.  The Renaissance, however, was a time of great achievements in art, learning, and literature.  It was a rebirth of western culture.

*Renaissance means “rebirth” in French*

 

For a look at the Renaissance art gallery, click on the following link…https://apeuro4idiots.wordpress.com/renaissance/renaissance-art-gallery/

For a list of important Renaissance people and terms, click on the following link…https://apeuro4idiots.wordpress.com/renaissance/renaissance-people-and-terms-109/

 

Why did the Renaissance start in Italy?

Geographic Reasons

• Italy is in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, making trade between the Middle East and Africa easy.
• Italy is located in the middle of Europe, making it easy for ideas to spread from the rest of Europe to Italy.
• Rome served as a reminder of the classics of ancient Rome, inspiring Renaissance thought.
• Resources were available in Italy.

Social Reasons

• Humanism placed an emphasis on the achievements of the individual.
• Secularism made people appreciate the things in the world more.
• Philosophy and education became widely appreciated.

Economic  Reasons

• The merchant class brought great wealth to Italy through trade.
• The House of Medici helped restore Florence and, eventually, start the Renaissance.
• A decline in manorialism allowed the average person more opportunity for advancements in salary.
• The wealthy became patrons of the arts.

Other Reasons

• The Hundred Years’ War left France and England preoccupied, explaining northern Europe’s failure to start the Renaissance.

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 What events affected the Renaissance?

• The Crusades (c.1045-1200)–> opened trade routes to the East; increased demands for luxury items; cities and towns grew from trade
• Rise of Italian Merchants (c.1200-1400)–> trade in Mediterranean increased; merchants became wealthy and patronized the arts; cities and towns grew and thrived 
• Rise of Secularism–> increased demand for foreign products (ex. silk and spices)
• Commercial Revolution (c.1400-1500)–> development of different trade practices like mercantilism; increased desire for global trade; banking and coinage used
• Technological Advancements and Expansion–> increased desire for new trade routes; better ships and navigational devices developed
• Age of Discovery (c.1400-1600)–> New World discovered; decline of Italian trade in the Mediterranean; end of the Renaissance

 

 Merchant Class

• rose in power as trade increased
• wealthiest, most powerful class of the time
• dominated politics
• didn’t inherit social rank (success was based entirely on with and intelligence), leading to an increased interest in humanism and individual achievement

 

Italian City States

5 Major States

• Dutchy of Milan
• Republic of Venice
• Republic of Florence
• Papal States
• Kingdom of Naples

1447 – Francesco Sforza conquered Milan and helped centralize its government

1454 – The Peace of Lodi was a treaty signed by the five Italian city-states in order to stop fighting.  It was effective in creating a balance of power in Italy, but was largely unsuccessful in establishing lasting cooperation and creating a common foreign policy.

1494 – Charles VIII of France occupied the kingdom of Naples

1494-1510 – France and Spain compete for Italian domination

1527 – Charles I of Spain sacks Rome, which was then occupied by Francis I of France, temporarily ending Italian wars and allowing Spain to dominate Italy

 

Florence, Italy

• Florence possessed many riches, including luxury items such as expensive cloths (silk, wool, linen, etc.), a variety of foods, talented artisans and craftsmen, and precious metals (gold, silver, etc.).
• Florentine trade was extensive, having connections with the entirety of Italy and parts of Spain, France, England, the Middle-East, northern Africa, and the rest of Europe.
• Florence is the believed birthplace of the Italian Renaissance.

 

Who were the Medici?

The Medici Family came to power in Florence in 1434.  It was a family of merchants who became wealthy as traders and bankers  The House of Medici became one of the biggest banks in all of Europe, spreading from Florence to places like France and England.  Cosimo de’ Medici was the first Medici to come to power in Florence.  He was the virtual dictator of Florence for thirty years.  He won the election by giving loans to the ruling council. Lorenzo de’ Medici came to power in 1469, ruling as a dictator but keeping the appearance of having an elected government. The members of the Medici family were patrons of the arts and donated a lot of money.  They were a major force in starting the Renaissance.

 

Florence vs. Venice

During the Renaissance, the Italian city-states of Florence and Venice were in competition.  Venice more trade in the Mediterranean, but Florence had many trade routes as well.  Both city-states had wealthy people who patronized the arts, but most scholars believe that the Renaissance started in Florence, not Venice.

 

Trade Routes in Renaissance Europe

Venice and Italy

• Venice and other Italian city-states ( Florence, Milan, Genoa) had a monopoly on trade in the Mediterranean, making Italy very wealthy.

Hanseatic League (a.k.a. the Hansa)

• formed by Northern European cities as a way to compete with Italian trade
• incorporated most of the Baltic and North Sea ports, along with cities in  Scandinavia, Russia, Germany, and other European countries
• land transport increased and ship traffic rivalled that of Italy
• Baltic Sea considered “Scandinavian Mediterranean” because of the large amount of trade that took place there
• traded cloth, metal, fish, animal skins, furs, tar, timber, and turpentine
• created a monopoly of Northern European trade
• fell apart in the early 1600s

Some cities where Venetian and Hanseatic trade routes met were Bruges (Belgium), Marseilles (France), Venice (Italy), and London (England). 

NOTE: Scandinavia=Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark

BLACK=Hanseatic League trade routes

BLUE, PINK, RED=Italian trade routes

 

Social and Political Changes 

Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) was a Florentine politician who wrote The Prince, one of the most influential and famous political treatises ever written.  As a secretary to the Florentine Council of Ten, Machiavelli made numerous diplomatic missions to such places as France and Germany and was able to see the working of numerous statecrafts. Machiavelli and other republicans were sent to exile after the reestablishment of Medici power in Florence in 1512.  During this time, Niccolò reflected on political power and wrote The Prince in 1513.  In his book, Machiavelli described how he believed a good ruler should rule and how political power can be used as a means to restore and maintain order.  He viewed all people as self-centered and believed rulers should not rely on moral values, but rather, strict and ruthless measures to rule (i.e. “I maintain it much safer to be feared than loved”).  Machiavelli was one of the first politicians to abandon morality as the basis for analysis of political activity. 

Baldassare Castiglione (1478-1529) was an Italian author who wrote The Book of the Courtier.  Published in 1528, the work served as a handbook for European aristocracy for centuries.  In it, Castiglione described the three basic attributes of a successful courtier: impeccable character, recorded achievements, and military participation.  However, unlike the knights of the Middle Ages who were required only to have military skill, nobles were also expected to have classical educations and to fill their lives with art.  Overall, the aim of the perfect noble, according to Castiglione, was to serve his prince in an effective and honest way.

 

Italian Humanism

• believed it was important to live a full life on Earth
• stressed human achievement and individual thought
• closely tied to the revival of Greek and Roman classics
• didn’t try to  make ancient texts agree with Christian teachings
• made popular the study of the humanities (history, literature, philosophy, etc.)

Famous Italian Humanists

• Petrarch (1304-1374) is considered the “father of Italian Renaissance humanist” because he did more than any other person to foster the development of humanism.  He had a deep desire to revive the classics of ancient Rome, ransacking monastic libraries in search for Latin manuscripts.  Petrarch was also a great poet, drawing inspiration from such people as Virgil and Cicero, and wrote The Ascent of Mount Ventoux, which describes individual struggles for perfection.
• Leonardo Bruni (1370-1444) is a famous Italian humanist.  He wrote a biography of Cicero titled The New Cicero in which he praised the actions of Cicero.  He was one of the first Italian humanists to gain a thorough knowledge of Greek, and serves as the perfect example of civic humanism.  He also wrote History of the Florentine People, illustrating an emphasis on secularism and a person’s place in history rather than in a divine scheme.
• Lorenzo Valla (1407-1457) wrote The Elegance of the Latin Language, in which he explains the differences between vernacular languages and classical Latin.  He was one of the first people to recognize the stages in the development of not only Latin but also the Roman Empire.
• Marsilio Ficino (1433-1499) was a famous Italian philosopher who believed that people serve as the link between the spiritual and material worlds and that all people are bound together by love.   
• Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463-1494) wrote one of the most famous pieces of Renaissance literature.  His Oration on the Dignity of Man combined the works of many philosophers in order to discover universal truths that he believed were all part of God’s revelation to humanity.
• Francesco Guicciardini (1483-1540) was one of the greatest historians of the Renaissance.  His History of Italy  and History of Florence show the first examples of analysis of  history.  Guicciardini believed that the purpose of writing history was to teach a lesson.

 

Secularism

• philosophy based on the desire for worldly things
• believed that people could enjoy life while not offending God
• even church officials adopted secular ideals, living in huge mansions and wearing expensive clothes

  

Medieval Art vs. Renaissance Art

Medieval Art

• no real use of perspective
• Christian figures were the focus of most art
• mostly gloomy and pessimistic
• humans were viewed as sinful and ugly
• used to teach morals and lessons since most people were illiterate

Renaissance Art

• showed ancient Greek and Roman inspiration
• showed perspective
• realism was a major aspect
• mostly optimistic and uplifting
• details considered extremely important
• human body was glorified
• humans were shown in natural poses and expressed personality
• subjects other than those of Christianity were illustrated (ex. Greek and Roman mythological scenes, peasant life, landscapes)
• math and science were studied by artists in order to help than achieve more realism in their art
• idealism in nature was expressed
• sculpture was reintroduced
• portraits became popular as humanism rose
• art was made just for the sake of making art

Famous Italian Renaissance Artists and Architects

• Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was one of the greatest painters of all time, as well as being a sculpture, scientist, and inventor.  His masterpieces include “The Last Supper” and “Mona Lisa”, which both show realism, the use of perspective, and a sense of expression and personality in the figures.  Da Vinci studied anatomy, math, and science in order to better understand how the human body worked so he could illustrate people more accurately in his art.  Da Vinci is also known for his notebooks, which contain engineering sketches of many inventions.  He is noted for designing some of the first airplanes and tanks.  Da Vinci is considered the best example of a “Renaissance Man” because he showed passion and interest in a broad range of subjects, and applied his knowledge to his work.
• Michelangelo (1475-1564) was an accomplished painter, sculptor, and architect during the High Renaissance.  He painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel as commissioned by the pope,in which he attempted to tell the story of the Fall of Man.  The divine beauty portrayed in his figures, and the use of beauty as a distinction between God and man, was heavily influenced by Neoplatonism.  Michelangelo’s David also shows the artist’s quest for ideal beauty and proclaims the beauty and glory of human beings. Michelangelo can be considered a “Renaissance Man”.
• Raphael (1438-1520) is a famous High Renaissance painter.  He was acclaimed for his numerous madonnas, in which he attempted to achieve an ideal beauty.  His School of Athens is one of his most well-known pieces, revealing a world of balance, order, and harmony as well as showing inspiration from ancient Greece and Rome.
• Titian was an Italian artist who is most famous for his use of color.
• Masaccio (1401-1428) was an Early Renaissance artist who is considered to have made the first masterpieces of Early Renaissance art (the frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel).  He demonstrated a more realistic relationship between figures and landscape and visually represented the laws of perspective, creating a new realistic style.  Masaccio’s massive three-dimensional human figures provided a model for later generations of Florentine artists.
• Sandro Boticelli (1445-1510) was an Italian artist who showed great interest in Greek and Roman mythology.  His interest is reflected in his Primavera, in which he illustrates a scene from Roman mythology.  He also painted the famous The Birth of Venus.
• Donato di Donatello (1386-1466) was a Renaissance sculptor who was revered for his mastery in portraying realism in sculpting.  He spent time in Rome studying and copying the statues of antiquity.  In Florence, he was able to create work that revealed the essence of what he saw.  One of his famous statues, a free-standing bronze statue of David, illustrates the quest for realism in sculpture during the time and also radiates a simplicity and strength that reflects the Renaissance view of the dignity of humanity.
• Filipo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) drew inspiration from the architecture of ancient Rome and designed the dome for the cathedral of Florence (the Duomo).  He used new techniques and machinery in order to build the dome.
• Donato Bramante (1444-1514) was a famous High Renaissance architect who is best known for designing the famous Saint Peter’s Basilica, which shows Bramante’s interest in reviving Roman architecture.

 

Impact of Printing

Joahnnes Gutenberg was a major influence in the spreading of moveable type printing throughout Europe.  The Gutenberg Bible, completed in either 1455 or 1456, was the first true book in the West produced from moveable type.  The success of this method of printing led to its rapid integration into European society.  By 1500, there were more than one thousand printers in Europe.  Most of the works produced by these printers were religious, while legal documents, pamphlets, and Latin and Greek classics were also popular.  Printing became one of Europe’s largest industries and helped encourage the development of scholarly research, increased cooperation among intellectuals, and contributed to increased literacy throughout Europe.

 

The Northern Renaissance

• The Hundred Years’ War ended in 1453, allowing Northern European countries to partake in the Renaissance. 
• By the late 1400s, Italian Renaissance ideas spread to Northern Europe (France, England, Germany. etc.) through trade and contact.
• England and France were united under strong monarchs, while Italy was divided into warring city-states.
• Italian Renaissance ideas mixed with northern traditions.

 

Northern Humanism

• more interested in religious ideas than secular themes
• felt religion was distorted during the Middle Ages and should be returned to the simple way it was before
• believed people were capable of reforming society
• valued education

Famous Northern Writers

• Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536) of Holland was a famous Northern humanist.  He was praised by many for being one of the greatest writers of his time.  His The Praise of Folly poked fun at problems in society, such as greed and arrogance.  Although he attacked the clergy numerous times in his writing, Erasmus was very religious.  He believed that the church should be reformed, but never wanted to create a new church.  He also believed everyone should study the Bible.
• Thomas More (1478-1535) of England wrote Utopia in 1516.  In it, More describes an ideal place where there is no greed, war, or crime.  In serving with Henry VIII of England, More came face to face with the abuses and corruption described in his book.  In the end, More was sentenced to death for opposing the king on his decision to get a divorce.
• Miguel de Cervantes, a Spaniard, wrote Don Quixote de la Mancha in 1605.  In it, Cervantes criticizes the outdated practice of chivalry.  This novel is considered the first great European novel.
• William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was one of the greatest playwrights of all time.  His works display masterful use of the English language and draw inspiration from the classics of Greece and Rome.  He revealed the souls of men and women through scenes of dramatic conflict.  Some of his most famous plays include Macbeth, King Lear, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

 

Northern Renaissance Art

• Renaissance art spread to northern Europe in primarily two ways: Italian artists fleeing northward from Italy after France’s invasion and northern artists trained  in Italy returning north.
• masters of rendering details due to their limited work space compared to that of Italy
• famous for woodcuts, engravings, and for the portrayal of everyday peasant life and landscapes
• placed great emphasis on the emotion behind religion

Famous Northern Renaissance Artists

• Jan van Eyck (1390-1441) was a northern European Renaissance artist.  He was one of the first to use oil paint, which allowed an artist to use a wide range of colors and create fine details.  In his Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride, van Eyck’s use of detail is amazing, as evident in the mirror detail in the background.
• Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), a German artist, is best known for his woodcuts and engravings. Dürer mixed the northern characteristic of illustrating minute details with the Italian standard of representing ideal beauty. In his Adoration of the Magi, he shows his interest in religious figures and landscapes.
• Hans Holbein, a German, was court painter for Henry VIII of England.  He specialized in painting portraits that were almost photographic in detail. 
• Pieter Brueghel, a Flemish artist, is most famous for painting peasant life and landscapes.  He showed great realism in his art and tended to create works that taught moral lessons. 
• Rembrandt van Rijn was a Dutch painter who used dramatic lighting and shadows in order to show a subjects inner feelings.

 

BE SURE YOU KNOW THE FOLLOWING TOPICS (PGS.338-343 IN THE TEXTBOOK)

• ENGLISH RULE DURING THE RENAISSANCE
• UNIFICATION OF SPAIN UNDER ISABELLA AND FERDINAND
• THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE OF THE HABSBURGS
• THE RENAISSANCE PAPACY AND THE GREAT SCHISM