Recovery and Rebirth: The Age of the Renaissance

Recovery and Rebirth: The Age of the Renaissance
Chapter 12 Recovery and Rebirth: The Age of the Renaissance

Introduction Renaissance is French word meaning “rebirth”
Late 14th and early 15th centuries seen as both a continuation of Middle Ages and as beginning new era Historians have debated for many decades Most historians see a clear distinction between the two ages One of our tasks—to identify what they were

Meaning and Characteristics of the Italian Renaissance
Rebirth Meaning and Characteristics of the Italian Renaissance

Renaissance Means Rebirth
Italians living 1350 to 1550 believed they were living rebirth of the Greco-roman civilizations The 1000 years preceding was termed the “Dark” or “Middle” Ages due to lack of classical culture Swiss historian/art critic Jacob Burckhardt created the modern concept in his book The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy

Renaissance and the Italians
Burckhardt called the Italians “the first born among the sons of modern Europe” “Birth place of the modern world” He exaggerated the era’s level of secularism and individualism There was still a strong commitment to religion He established framework for modern interpretations of the period Identified Renaissance as a distinct period

Renaissance Italy Renaissance Italy was largely an urban society
Commercial success and political advancements Northern Italy made up of independent cities City-states became centers for Italian political, economic, and social life New wealth and independence fostered ideas of enjoyment of worldly things

Renaissance: Also, an Age of Recovery and Rediscovery
Recovery from the Black Death, political disorder, and economic recession Rediscovery of Greco-Roman culture along the Mediterranean Attempts to reconcile pagan philosophy with Christian thought and new ways of looking at human beings A high regard for human dignity and worth—realization of individual potential Concept of ideal person, well rounded, capable of many diverse talents

Italian Renaissance Limited to Wealthy
General features of Italian renaissance limited to upper classes—small percentage Achievements were products of elite, not mass movement Movement did have indirect impact on the masses In the cities Artistic impact

The Making of Renaissance Society
Trade and Manufacturing Increases fostering economic recovery The Making of Renaissance Society

Economic Recovery: An Overview
By the 14th century, Italian merchants were successfully trading with ports along the Mediterranean and up to England and the Netherlands Hard hit by the plague, Italians lost their trade preeminence as the confronted the Hanseatic League

Economic Recovery: Expansion of Trade and Hanseatic League
North German coastal towns formed military/ commercial association called Hanseatic league Established settlements in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden Developed 200-year monopoly on many products The city of Bruges in Flanders was European economic crossroads Silt-ridden Bruges caused Hanseatic trade to decline Italians trade recovered dramatically in the 15th century—city-states did well until the 16th century

Economic Recovery: Industries Old and New
While the depression effected the woolen industry, 15th century Italian cities developed luxury items New machinery, techniques, and technology fostered other industries-- Printing Mining Metallurgy Mining produced copper, iron and silver Metallurgy skills produced firearms

Economic Recovery: Banking and the Medici
Florence regained banking prominence through Medici family Medici family expanded from cloth into commerce, real estate, and banking In 15the century, the House of Medici became the greatest bank in Europe Primary bank for the papacy, fostering great influence in papal court Bad loans and loans not collected led to collapse of bank—French expelled bank in 1494

Social Changes in the Renaissance
Renaissance social structure inherited from Middle Ages: Three Estates First Estate: The Clergy People should be guided by spiritual ends Second Estate: The Nobility Privileges based on nobles provided security and justice Third Estate Peasants and inhabitants of towns and villages

Social Changes: The Nobility
A restructure of the nobility was underway by the 1500s Old and new nobility still dominated society Consisted of 2 to 3 percent of population Military officers, political posts, pursued education Ideals became expected of nobility Baldassare Castlione wrote The Book of the Courtier Described the three basic aspects of the courtier

Social Changes: The Nobility
Three attributes of the perfect courtier Fundamental native endowments: character, talents, noble birth, etc Cultivate achievements: bearing arms, knowledge of the arts, play an instrument, etc. Follow standards of conduct: while modest, show talents with grace Primary duty of the courtier—to serve his prince in an effective and honest way

Social Changes: Peasants and Townspeople
Peasants and townspeople made up 85 to 90 percent of European population—the exceptions: Flanders and northern Italy Two economic trends of significance Decline of the manorial system Continuing elimination of serfdom

Decline of the manorial system Begun 12th century with introduction of money Money could buy freedom and pay rents Money eliminated need to be paid in kind or labor Decline of serfdom Black Death also caused contraction of peasant numbers Lords found it better to deal with peasants by granting freedom or accepting rents

The remainder of the Third Estate centered around the bourgeoisie Merchants and artisans Patricians: on the top, trade, industry, banking Burghers: shopkeeper, artisans, guild masters, etc Propertyless workers Lived in squalid conditions 30-40 % of city workers

Social Changes: Slavery
For the most part, agricultural slavery in Europe was replaced by serfdom and had disappeared by the 11th century Slavery reappeared in Spain through Christians and Muslims capturing prisoners during the Reconquista Slavery was reintroduced in 14th century resulting from Black Death In 1363, Florence authorized unlimited importation of foreign slaves

Social Changes: Slavery
Italian slaves used as skilled workers and often held positions in the family household Italian merchants found a lucrative market in transporting slaves Between 1414 and 1423, ten thousand slaves were sold on the Venetian market By the end of the 15th century, slavery had declined significantly: humanitarian reasons, expense, and some found them dangerous

The Family in Renaissance Italy
The family played an important role Household of immediate family Extended household of grandparents, unmarried sisters, slaves, etc. Old family names (e.g. Medici) conferred high status A crime committed by one family member fell to the entire family—bloody revenge falls to many Importance explains the vendetta of the Italian Renaissance

The Family in Renaissance Italy: Marriage
Prearranged marriages fostered business and family ties The future wife’s dowry was important factor Dowry size could indicate a societal move upward—marrying above her status if she had money Marrying at lower status for bride produced smaller dowry; the family status uplifted the spouse’s family

The Family in Renaissance Italy: Marriage
The husband was the center of the family Made all family decisions Controlled the money Father’s authority over children was absolute until death or he freed them before a judge—age didn’t matter

The Family in Renaissance Italy: Children
Women ran the household and, the wealthy, bore many children Dangerous—10% of mothers died at childbirth Surviving mothers faced the death of their children—in Florence, about 50% died by age 20 Due to survival rates, families tried to have many children to ensure a surviving male heir

The Family in the Renaissance: Sexual Norms
Arranged marriages fostered infidelity Norms for men and women were different Males married much later; large number of young males available Encouraged extramarital activities and prostitution

The Italian States in the Renaissance
Milan, Venice, Florence, the Papal States, and Naples The Italian States in the Renaissance

The Five Major States and Renaissance Italy
In late 14th century, Italy was a land of five major states and numerous independent city-states Prosperity and supportive intellectual climate created atmosphere for mid and upper classes to “rediscover” Greco-Roman culture

The Five Major States: The Duchy of Milan
Francesco Sforza, one of the leading condottieri at the time (1447), conquered the city of Milan and became its new duke Both Visconti and Sforza families created highly centralized state Creative at devising taxes that brought great revenue for the state

The Five Major States: The Republic of Venice
Maritime republic Extremely stable oligarchy, governed by merchant-aristocrats Commercial empire brought enormous revenues—gave Venice international power Venice made efforts to expand its territory north to protect trade routes and food supply Milan and Florence attempted to counter those efforts

The Five Major States: The Republic of Florence
The Republic of Florence dominated the region of Tuscany Dominated by a small merchant oligarchy by mid 15th century In 1434, Cosimo de’ Medici took control Kept republic forms of government for appearance Ran government behind the scenes Cosimo, later Grandson, Lorenzo the Magnificent, dominated center of cultural Renaissance--Florence

The Five Major States: Papal States
Papal states were located in central Italy Somewhat under the political control of the popes, the papal residency in Avignon and the Great Schism enabled cities such as Urbino, Bologna, and Ferrara to become independent Renaissance popes of the 15th century spent much time attempting to reestablish their control over the Papal States

The Five Major States: Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples encompasses most of southern Italy and Sicily Fought over by the French and Aragonese during the Renaissance Mostly backward region with unruly nobles and poverty-stricken peasants Very little cultural glories of the Renaissance

The Independent City-States
There independent city-states controlled by powerful ruling families Urbino was the most significant and powerful Most significant ruler was Federigo da Montefeltro Ruled using his money to offset poverty Hired themselves out as condottiere Honest and reliable

The Role of Women For the smaller Renaissance courts, women often took the place of men at court while the men were away Many were honest and showed good judgment Most famous was Isabella d’Este Called “first lady of the world” One of finest libraries in all Italy

Warfare in Italy Italian world was fragmented by territorial states
Fragmented states gave rise to strategy called “balance of power” Designed to prevent aggrandizement of one state over another—especially evident after 1454 Initiated under the Peace of Lodi Milan, Florence, and Naples vs Venice and papacy Initiated 40 years of peace

Warfare in Italy Growth of powerful monarchies in France and Spain caused trouble for Italians The breakdown of balance of power in caused the wars Also, the Duke of Milan invited the French to intervene in Italian politics Charles VIII of France was eager to oblige and entered Italy with 30,000 men Other Italian states turned to Spain for help and Philip of Aragon was eager to help For 15 years, the French and Spanish fought it out in Italy

Warfare in Italy Few Italian conceived of creating an alliance or confederation to stave off other nations Italians remained fiercely loyal to their own petty states

The Birth of Modern Diplomacy
The modern diplomatic system was a product of the Italian Renaissance The concept of an ambassador changed during the Renaissance from a person acting for everyone and for peace in general to agents representing specific states Small states in particular wanted to exchange information for their own protection Practices used today such as ambassador rights in host countries and certain protocols

Machiavelli and the New Statecraft
The prince (1513) Niccolo Machiavelli Machiavelli gave the best expression to political power sought during the Renaissance He served as a secretary to the Florentine Council of Ten—a diplomatic post Made numerous diplomatic missions After the Spanish victory in Italy, republicans like Machiavelli were sent into exile

Machiavelli was forced to give up politics He turned his attention to political thought He wrote The Prince Based on his concerns for Italy’s political problems and his knowledge of ancient Rome All about “the acquisition and expansion of political power as a means to restore and maintain order in his time” Political activities should not be restricted by morality

Machiavelli was one of the first to abandon morality for analysis of political activity Machiavelli didn’t believe the normal policy of taking political action only if it contributes to the common good of the people you serve A prince’s use of power must be based on human nature—which he believed to be self-centered People were ungrateful, fickle, deceptive, deceiving, avoiders of danger, eager to gain, etc

Political activity should not be restricted to moral considerations “A ruler…cannot conform to all those rules that men who are thought good are expected to respect…he is often obliged to break his word, to be uncharitable, inhumane, and irreligious…he should do what is right if he can; but he must be prepared to do wrong if necessary” It is better to be feared than loved

The Intellectual Renaissance in Italy
Individualism and secularism—two characteristics of the Italian Renaissance The Intellectual Renaissance in Italy

Italian Renaissance Humanism
Based on the study of classical works of the Greeks and Romans Humanists studied the liberal arts Grammar, poetry, ethics, and history Occupations of the secular humanists: Teachers Professors of rhetoric Secretaries in the chancelleries

The Emergence of Humanism
Petrarch has been called the father of the Italian Renaissance Spent most of his time in Italy as guest of various princes and governments Did more than anyone in 14th century to foster Renaissance humanism First to characterize the Middle Ages as period of darkness

The Emergence of Humanism
Petrarch’s interest in the classics led him to seek forgotten Latin manuscripts His search led to a sacking of monastic libraries He worried about his pursuits of secular content He wanted to properly attend to his spiritual ideals His allegory, The Ascent of Mount Ventoux, describes his struggle to achieve a higher spiritual state (see text) He did, however, emphasize the humanist use of classical Latin: Cicero, the model for prose; Virgil for poetry

Humanism in Fifteenth-Century Italy
In Florence, the humanism movement gave rise to civic humanism Civic Humanism was tied with civic pride, responsibility, and spirit Petrarch had emphasized the intellectual life was one of solitude—family and community life had been rejected The classical Roman Cicero, statesman and intellectual, became their model

Leonardo Bruni ( ), humanist, Florentine patriot, and chancellor of the city wrote a biography of Cicero titled The New Cicero Enthusiasm for fusion of political action and literary creation It was the duty of an intellectual to be active in one’s state Humanists believed their study of the humanities should be put to the service of the state

Humanism in Fifteenth Century Italy
The growing interest in classical Greek civilization was a major part of the humanist movement Humanists studied the works of Plato and Greek poets, dramatists, historians, and orators like Thucydides, Euripides, and Sophocles All were ignored in the High Middle Ages as irrelevant

A consciousness of being humanists developed Lorenzo Valla ( ) became a papal secretary and wrote The Elegances of the Latin Language An effort to purify medieval Latin and restore Latin to its position of dominion over the vernacular

Humanism and Philosophy
Second half of 15th century saw upsurge in interest of the works of Plato Florentine Platonic Academy was lead group Cosimo de’ Medici, defacto ruler of Florence, was major patron Exposition of the Platonic philosophy was called Neoplatonism

Humanism and Philosophy
Marsilio Facino dedicated his life to translation of Plato Merged Christianity and Platonism into one system Postulated the idea of hierarchy of substances from lowest form of physical matter to purest spirit, God Humans were seen in middle position—highest duty was to ascend to God

Renaissance Hermeticism
Hermeticism was another product of the Florentine intellectual environment of the late 15th century: emphasized two kinds of writings Occult sciences: astrology, alchemy, and magic Theological and philosophical beliefs Pantheism: seeing divinity in all aspects of nature and in heavenly bodies and in earthly objects

Giordano Bruno was prominent 16th century Hermeticists, stating, God as a whole is in all things” Hermetic revival offered new view of humankind Humans had been created as divine beings with endowed with creative power However, humans had chosen to enter the material world

Humans could recover their powers, but they had to go through a regenerative process Regenerated, they became true sages or magi Magi had knowledge of God and truth and could employ nature’s powers for good purposes Ficino and friend/pupil Pico della Mirandola ( ) Pico produced one of the most famous writings of the Renaissance, Oration on the Dignity of Man

Oration… Drawn from “nuggets of universal truth” Believed were part of God’s revelation to man Believed in unlimited human potential Pico: “To him it is granted to have whatever he chooses, to be whatever he wills” Pico: “At last the knowledge of all nature”

Education in the Renaissance
Renaissance humanists believed that human beings could be dramatically changed by education They wrote books on education and founded schools Most famous of schools was founded at Mantua Founded by Vittorino da Feltre Ruler of small Italian state was Gian Francesco I Gonzaga

The core of academic training in Vittorino’s school was “liberal studies” Pietro paola Vergerio wrote, Concerning Character The importance of liberal arts as the key to true freedom Enabling humans to reach their full potential “We call those studies liberal which are worthy of a free man; those studies by which we attain and practice virtue and wisdom; that education that calls forth, trains, and develops those highest gifts of body and mind which ennoble men”

Liberal studies included history, moral philosophy, eloquence (rhetoric), letters 9rammar and logic), poetry, mathematics, astronomy, and music The purpose was to produce individuals who followed a path of virtue and wisdom and possessed the rhetorical skills with which to persuade others to do the same

Education in the Rennaissance
Following the Greek precept of sound mind in a sound body, the Mantua school stressed physical education as well Humanist schools were primarily for the elite Few females attended the schools Those females who did attend were discouraged from mathematics and rhetoric Religion and morals were thought to “hold the first place in the education of a Christian lady”

Education in the Rennaissance
Education was preparation for life The aim of education was not create scholars, but to produce complete citizens who could participate in their communities Vittorino: “…all are destined to live in society and to practice virtue” The combination of the classics and Christianity was seen as the best education for Europe’s ruling classes

Humanism and History Humanist historian chronicled history different from Middle Age historians Humanists believed the classical period was followed by an age of barbarism (Middle Ages) The Middle Ages were succeeded by their own age They began thinking in terms of the passage of time—the past as the past They began thinking of the “periodization” of history

Humanism and History Humanists were also responsible for secularizing the writing of history Reduced or eliminated role of miracles in history—not as anti-Christian, but as new approach Emphasized documents and critical thinking Attention was paid to political events Emphasis moved to causation of history, deemphasizing divine intervention and looked to human motives

Humanism and History--Guicciardini
Francesco Guicciardini ( ) achieved the high point of Renaissance historiography His History of Italy and History of Florence represent the beginning of “modern analytical historiography” Guicciardini: the purpose of writing history was to teach lessons Emphasized military and political history

The Impact of Printing The Renaissance witnessed the invention of printing, one of the most important inventions of Western civilization Its impact was immediate Hand-carved wooden blocks had been done in the West since the 12th century and in China before New to Europe in the 15th century was metal movable type--culminating between

The Impact of Printing Johannes Gutenberg played important role in bring process to completion Gutenberg’s Bible (1455 or 1456) was the first true book in the West produced from movable type The new printing spread rapidly throughout Europe in the second half of the 15th century Especially well known as a printing center was Venice

The Impact of Printing By 1500, there were over 1000 printers in Europe Published almost 40,000 titles Eight to ten million copies Probably half of the books were religious Next in importance were Greek and Latin classics The printing of books encouraged the scholarly research and desire to attain knowledge

The Impact of Printing More positive results of printing
Facilitated cooperation among scholars Produced standardization and definitive texts Expanding reading by all Brought the new religious ideas of the Reformation Fostered science

The Artistic Renaissance
Humans as the Focus of Attention The Artistic Renaissance

Art in the Early Renaissance
Leonardo da Vinci counseled that artists should use real subjects in nature, not copies of other artists Renaissance artist pursued naturalism A primary goal was to imitate nature They tried to persuade onlookers of the reality of their creation Ultimately, human beings became the cental focus of art

Most Italian artists maintain that Giotti of the 14th century began the imitation of nature Masaccio followed Giotti with a cycle of frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel, long considered the first masterpiece of the Early Renaissance Masaccio’s massive three dimensional human figures provided a model for later Florentine artists

Masaccio emphasized a more realistic relationship between figures and landscape and more visual representation of laws of perspective A new realistic style of painting was born The ideals of the human being in natural surroundings prevailed

The new Renaissance style took other forms but basically headed in two directions: Space and Movement Space Mathematical side of painting Working out the laws of perspective Organization of space

Movement… Included anatomical structure Attempt to portray human body under stress Realistic portrayal of human nude became a foremost preoccupation

Sandro Botticelli, with his interest in Greek and Roman mythology was well reflected in his work, Primavera Well defined characters, yet they possess an otherworldly quality far removed from the realism that characterized early Renaissance

Advances by Florentine painters were matched by Florentine sculptures and architects Donato di Donatello’s statue of David First known life-size freestanding bronze nude in European art since antiquity Celebrated Florentine heroism Radiated simplicity, strength, and the dignity of humanity

Filiippo Brunelleschi drew inspiration from Roman antiquity He worked hard on the creation of a new architecture First challenge was to complete the 140-foot opening of the Cathedral of Florence He devised a dome of less weight and 24 ribs

Brunelleschi created a better example of his new architecture when he built the Church of San Lorenzo Inspired by Roman models Interior very different from medieval designs Created amore human-centered space Classical columns, rounded arches, and coffered ceiling Didn’t overwhelm the worshipper

The emphasis on human individuality in the Renaissance came out in an emphasis on portraiture Prominent people had portraits on tombs and other places Renderings depicted accurately the facial features plus the inner qualities of the individual

The Artistic High Renaissance
By the 15th century, Italian painters, sculptures and architects had mastered scientific applications and were now moving toward more personalized creative expressions The High Renaissance was marked by increasing importance of Rome as the new cultural center of the Italian Renaissance

Dominated by three artistic giants: Leonardo da Vinci ( ), Raphael ( ), and Michelangelo ( ) Leonardo da Vinci A transitional artist Fifteenth century tradition of complete study of nature Dissected bodies to ensure his anatomical portrayals were correct

Leonardo… Stressed the need to advance beyond realism Emphasis was on moving to idealized form of nature In Leonardo’s Last Supper, he hoped to reveal an individual’s inner self through gestures and movement

The Artist High Renaissance
Leonardo attempts to move from a realistic to idealized portrayal of the human figure. He attempted to depict a person’s inner character through gesture and movement In his fresco, he used an experimental technique which led to its physical deterioration

The Artistic High renaissance
Perhaps Leonardo’s most famous work, the painting, Mona Lisa

One of Leonardo’s many drawings, this one of a flying machine

Leonardo’s drawing and explanation of an embryo and

Two of Leonardo’s Works: Painting and Design of Water Power System

Raphael Sanzio was regarded as one of Italy’s best painters at age 25 Acclaimed for his numerous madonnas Attempted ideal beauty, above human standards Well known for his frescoes in the Vatican Palace His School of Athens reveals a world of balance, harmony, and order

Raphael, School of Athens This is one frescoe Raphael painted for Pope Julius II for the papal apartment in the Vatican Raphael created an imaginary gathering of ancient philosophers. In the center stand Plato and Aristotle At the left is Pythagoras, showing his system of proportions on a slate At the right is Ptolemy, holding a celestial globe Balance, harmony, and order

Michelangelo Buonarroti, an accomplished painter, sculptor, and architect, was another giant of the High Renaissance Highly motivated to create, completed numerous projects Influenced by Neoplatoism, especially depiction of figures on ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

In 1508, Pope Julius II called Michelangelo to Rome, commissioning him to decorate the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling Project not completed until 1512 Nine scenes from the book of Genesis In Creation of Man, Adam awaits the divine spark Figures were fashioned ideally, with excellent proportions and beauty reflecting divine beauty; the more beautiful, the more God-like

Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam Adam awaits the divine spark The more beautiful the body, the more God-like the figure

Michelangelo’s statue of David was commissioned by the Florentine government in 1501 and finished in 1504 Michelangelo: “I only take away the surplus, the statue is already there” The statue is 14 feet high. David proudly proclaims the beauty of the human body and the glory of human beings

The Renaissance was well known for its architecture, particularly that Donato Bramante ( ) He captured the grandeur of ancient Rome through his design of the Tempietto (Little Temple) at the site of Saint Peter’s martydom His design impressed who Pope Julius II commissioned him to design Saint Peter’s Basilica

The Artist and Social Status
By the end of the 15th century, a transformation in the status of artist occurred Artists were no longer considered just artisans with certain skills Gifted artists were considered artist geniuses Artists were seen as heroes, e.g. Michelangelo was frequently referred to as “II Divino”—the Divine One

The Artist and Social Status
The artists of the High Renaissance were the first to embody the modern concept of artist Artists profited both economically and in social status By now mingling with upper classes and political elites, artists learned the new intellectual theories which they embodied in their art

The Northern Artistic Renaissance
Human form took the primary form of expression in the north Emphasis was on stain glass windows and wooden paneled paintings for alter pieces Flanders had most influential school of art Oil painting, popular in the north, permitted artists to project staggering details in their precise portraits

Jan van Eyck was one of first to use oils Painters painted more “the outward appearance of things” Empirical observation of visual reality The accurate portrayal of details

Albrecht Durer ( ) from Nuremberg was effected by the Italians Made trips to Italy Captured laws of perspective and proportion However, he did not reject minute details characteristic of northern artists Integrated his artistry into a careful examination of the human form

Music in the Renaissance
The Dukes of Burgundy attracted some of the best artists and musicians of the time Guillaume Dufay, most important composer Lived in medieval France and early Renaissance Italy Combined the best of both worlds Changed composition of Mass—replaced Gregorian chants with secular tunes to form the basis of Mass Served as a reminder that music ceased to be just in the service of God

Music in the Renaissance
The Renaissance madrigal was a poem set to music Origins: 14th century Italian courts Twelve-line poems written in vernacular Theme was emotional or erotic love Employed “text painting” with 5 or 6 voices Melody would change with emphasis on certain words or phrases

The European State in the Renaissance
The “New Monarchies” attempt to impose their will as Europe takes shape. They try to improve their states from the early 15th to later 15th century, particularly in France, England, and Spain

The Growth of the French Monarchy
The Hundred Years War had left France prostrate Depopulation, desolate farmlands, ruined commerce, unruly nobles, etc. The war also engendered a sense of loyalty--the understanding of a common enemy The war permitted strengthening the king’s authority Charles VII was able to secure permission for a royal army from the Estates-General

King Charles VII… The Estates-General also permitted a taille, annual tax—usually from land or other property Ensured certain amount of power King Louis XI ( ), (known as “the spider” for his wily ways) Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy, was problem Charles tried to create middle kingdom between France and Germany

Charles the Bold… He died in battle and Louis took Burgundy for France Louis added Anjou, Maine, Bar, and Provence, and was given credit for development of strong French monarchy

England: Civil War and a New Monarchy
The Hundred Years War also hurt the English Even more domestic turmoil broke out with the War of the Roses The House of Lancaster (red rose) verses the House of York (white rose) Many aristocratic families brought into conflict Henry Tudor, Duke of Richmond, defeated the last Yorkish king, Richard III, and established the new Tudor dynasty

The first Tudor King, Henry VII reduced dissension and established strong monarchy Abolished private armies of the aristocrats Special commissions to trusted nobles raised armies for special campaigns then were disbanded Established the Court of Star Chamber which did not use juries and permitted torture to extract confessions

Henry VII managed the monarchy well Extracted resources from traditional sources Use diplomacy to avoid wars Kept taxes low Henry’s policies left England with stable, prosperous government and gained status for the monarchy itself

The Unification of Spain
After the conquest of the Iberian Penisnsula from the Muslims, the peninsula was divided into several smaller states, the largest which was Aragon and Castile Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon were married in a dynastic (not political) union The two states maintained their own parliaments

Ferdinand and Isabella worked to build a strong central government for both states They reorganized the military and created and built the best army in Europe by the 16th century They achieved permission from the pope to select the most important church officials They realized the importance of the Church’s power

Ferdinand and Isabella received permission to institute the Inquisition in Spain Converts were effected, but not Jews or Muslims Thus, they expelled all Jew and Muslims The two “Most Catholic” monarchs had achieved absolute religious orthodoxy—to be Spanish was to be Catholic Uniformity policy was enforced by the Inquisition

The Holy Roman Empire: The Success of the Habsburgs
The Holy Roman Empire failed to develop a strong monarchy The Empire remained in the hands of the Habsburg dynasty The Habsburgs instituted dynastic marriages Through marriages, the Hapsburgs gained international power Rulers of France feared they would be surrounded by the Hapsburgs

The Holy Roman Empire: The Success of the Habsburgs
Much was expected of Maximilian I He had strong opposition from German princes Through a series of marriages and untimely deaths, Charles, Maximilian’s grandson, became heir to the Habsburg, Burgundian, and Spanish lines, making him the leading monarch of his age

The Struggle for Strong Monarchy in Eastern Europe
The rulers of Eastern Europe had many obstacles in the way of control Different ethnic and religious groups could not get along Much of the problem with Poland until the later 15th century revolved around disagreements between crown and the landed nobles Hungary became one of the most significant countries in Europe under King Matthias Corvinus

The Struggle for Strong Monarchy in Eastern Europe
King Mathias… Broke the power of the wealthy lords Patronized the humanist culture Brought Italian scholars and artists to his capital Since the 13th century, Russia had been under the domination of the Mongols Ivan III ( ) was able to take advantage of dissention within the Mongols to through off their yoke by 1480

The Ottoman Turks and the End of the Byzantine Empire
Eastern Europe was increasingly threatened by the Ottoman Empire The Byzantine Empire had served as a buffer between the Muslim Middle East and the Latin West for centuries The Empire was weakened by the sack of Constantinople in 1204 The threat of the Ottomans finally doomed the Byzantine Empire

The Ottoman Turks moved quickly through the lands of the Seljuk Turks and the Byzantine Empire Bypassing Constantinople, they moved through Bulgaria and into the lands of the Serbians At the battle of Kosovo, Ottoman forces defeated the Serbs, both leaders dying in battle

Battle of Kosovo (1389) became a battlefield long remembered and revered by the Serbs Not until 1480 were Bosnia, Albania, and the rest of Serbia added to the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans The Ottoman Turks completed the demise of the Byzantine Empire by defeating the army at Constantinople

The Turks began to pressure the West By the end of the 15th century, they were threatening Hungary, Austria, Bohemia, and Poland The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, became their bitter enemy in the 16th century

The Church in the Renaissance
The Council of Constance ends the Great Schism, but finds the issues of heresy and reform more challenging

The Problems of Heresy and Reform
While inquisitions had dealt with heresy in the past, the Lollardy and Hussitism fostered difficulties Wyclif and Lollardy English Lollardy was a product of the Oxford Theologian John Wycliff Disgust with clerical corruption led to attacks on Christian beliefs and practices

John Wycliff… Led attack on papal authority Attacked Christian beliefs and values Urged the Bible to be made available in the vernacular of all languages Condemned pilgrimages, the veneration of saints, and rituals and rites developed in medieval church His followers were called Lollards

Hus and the Hussites Royal marriage between England and Bohemia enabled Lollard ideas to spread to Bohemia John Hus, chancellor of the University of Prague urged the elimination worldliness and corruption in the clergy Hus also attacked the excessive power of the papacy within the Catholic Church

John Hus… Strong support from German clergy and Czechs The Council of Constance summoned Hus Hus was granted safe passage by Emperor Sigismund Hoped for free hearing but was arrested, condemned as heretic and burned at the stake (1415)

John Hus His death started revolutionary upheaval in Bohemia resulting in the Hussite wars wracking the Holy Roman Empire until a truce in 1436 Reform in the Church The Council of Constance passed two reform decrees: Sacrosancta and Frequens

Sacrosancta Stated a general council of the church got its authority from God Every Christian, including the pope, was subject to its authority Frequens Provided for the holding of general councils to ensure that church reform could continue

Popes refused to cooperated with decrees that diminished their authority Popes worked for 30 years to defeat the counciliar movement

Finally, Pope Pius Ii issued the papal bull Execrabilis , condemning appeals to a council over the head of a pope as heretical

The Renaissance Papacy
The line of popes from the end of the Great Schism to the beginnings of the Reformation in the early 16th century While the primary function of the popes was spiritual, the manner popes pursued their political activities was shocking The use of intrigue and bloodshed was not appropriate

Julius II was known as the “fiery pope” because he led troops into battle Popes could not build dynasties over generations of offspring, so they relied on nepotism to promote the families’ interests Pope Sixtus made five nephews cardinals, for example

Renaissance popes were great patrons of Renaissance culture Julius II began construction on Saint Peters Basilica Leo X commissioned Raphael to do paintings and sped up the construction of Saint Peters Rome became literary and artistic center of the Renaissance

Summary Renaissance was a period of transition
Economic, political, and social trends started in High Middle Ages A new vision of humankind Fundamental questions on the value of the individual Renaissance ideas were mostly for the upper classes—the elite

Summary New questions were raised about medieval traditions
Humanists raised fundamental questions about the Catholic Church—a powerful and important institution

Recovery and Rebirth: The Age of the Renaissance

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Recovery and Rebirth: The Age of the Renaissance

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Presentation on theme: "Recovery and Rebirth: The Age of the Renaissance"— Presentation transcript:

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About project

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