European Society in the Age of the Renaissance

European Society in the Age of the Renaissance Chapter 13

Factors and Events leading to the Renaissance! • Crusades led to increase trade between Italian cities: Venice, Genoa, and Milan and the Middle East. • Shipping advances allow business all year and much larger volume of sales. Especially wool shipping of Florentine merchants • Florence is used for Papal banking needs. Bank Offices in Paris, London, Barcelona, Tunis, etc. • Extra $ was had to invest and the cities had the desire to show their wealth. • Italy was the location of the great ancient Romans with plenty of reminders of “Classic” culture and style

Government Set-up of the Cities • Signori or despots and oligarchies comprised of merchant aristocrats ruled • Constitutions and laws existed but were manipulated! • Masses had no say in government affairs yet the appearance of a republic was maintained • The republics set-up by popolo faded • Princes/despots were patrons of the arts and flaunted their love of learning with gifts. • They used occasions as a means of demonstrating magnificent pageantry

Government Set-up of the Cities • Individualistic, these cities crushed uprisings, killed enemies, and overawed the masses • Used a balance of power principle against each other • Eventually established a system of ambassadors and embassies • Instability invited foreign attacks

Major players on the Italian Peninsula! Venice Milan Florence Papal States Naples

Venice • Became wealthy through trading with the East • In late 1300 s defeated Genoa in trade war • Created empire with lands on Dalmatian coast, and islands like Cyprus and Crete • Official government was considered a “republic” with a constitution but in actuality ruled by an oligarchy of merchant aristocrats who appointed the DOGE.

Papal States • Pope Alexander VI 1492 -1503 • Cesare Borgia (his son) • Machiavelli’s The Prince (Based on Borgia) • Pope Julius II (15031513) • Pope Leo X (1513 -1521) Pope Alexander VI Borgia Cesar Borgia

Milan • Sforza Family rule begins in 1450 • Ruled without Constitutional restraint • Dominated political events in Northern Italy • Ludovico (1479 -1499) ruled as a military chief and despot • Short-sightedly invited French invasion in 1494.

Florence Lorenzo • Cosimo Medici 14341464 • Lorenzo Medici 14691492 • Girolamo Savonrola 1452 -1498 was outspoken critic of Medici and Pope Alexander VI. He was killed!

Florence G. Savonarola N. Machiavelli

Major Clashes/Events • Venice-Milan War and Treaty of Lodi 1454 • In 1494, Florence/Naples then agree to take Milanese lands. Milan invited France to attack Italy and get back Naples. • Charles VIII of France conquered the peninsula down to Naples. • Savonrola had weakened and influenced Florence 1494 -1498 • 1495, League of Venice ousts French

Major Clashes/Events • Louis XII invades Milan 1499 and later forms the League of Cambrai 1508 – against Venice • 1500 – Borgia's conquer Romagna • Holy League of (Pope Julius, Aragon, Maximilian and Swiss) go defeat the French 1513. • 1515 – Francis I leads third French invasion • 1516 – Concordat of Bologna for French • 1519 – Charles V takes over as HRE • 1521 - Beginning of Hapsburg-Valois Wars ended in 1559 • 1527 – Sack of Rome by Charles V Imperial

Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis 1559 ends the Hapburg-Valois Wars • Spain wins! France defeated • This will influence the policy and positioning of both countries in later conflicts • Spanish governors would be installed in Sicily, Naples, and Milan. • Spanish influence would continue in other Italian areas as well. • *** The wars were very costly and Francis I sold public offices and agreed to the Concordat of Bologna to gain revenue.

Major Clashes/Events • Francis I leads a third French Invasion 1515. • Pope agrees to Concordat of Bologna with French 1516. • New alliances pitted (Pope, Spanish, Germans) against French beginning the Hapsburg-Valois Wars 1521 • 1527 sack of Rome by Hapsburg Charles V

Intellectual Movements • Individualism – sense of self and accomplishments, potential and • • • uniqueness Ex. B. Cellini’s autobiography Humanism – term coined by L. Bruni. Petrarch and Mirandola were well known members. studied Latin classics to gain insight about human nature and knowledge. Tracked down ancient manuscripts to read original versions. Focused on history, poetry, literature, rhetoric of the ancients. Admired the style of classical writing and thought it to be more powerful than the Middle Age Styles. Ex. The Florentine Academy and the revival of Platonism. Secularism – concern with material world instead of the spiritual. Enjoy the here and now! Ex. G. Boccaccio’s The Decameron, discussed usury and its acceptance as well as the idea that it is harmful to impose upon people severe moral standards that contradict normal human behavior! Classicism – Revival of “Classic” ancient culture of Greeks and Romans (architectural, writing, religion, etc. )

The Artist and Artwork • Some artists became very famous and works were commissioned by wealthy including institutions such as Catholic Church. • Three types of paintings: frescoes, egg tempera, and oil. • Many other art forms existed from architecture to woodcarving, bronzing, sculpting and goldsmithing.

Italian Renaissance vs. Northern Renaissance • The North had fewer examples with secular theme. It focused more on Christian value. This was especially true of humanist authors. • Painters used more oil paint. Weather conditions and drying times made frescoes difficult. • Works did NOT have as much devotion to ancient, classic cultures. • Works were often commissioned by royal houses.

The Big Three Artists and High Renaissance • Da Vinci 1452 -1519 Last Supper and Mona Lisa • Michelangelo 1475 -1564 Sistine Chapel and David sculpture • Raphael 1483 -1520 School of Athens

Italian Renaissance • Raphael’s Madonna of the Meadow, 1509 • Narrative—telling a story. • Perspective—seen from a unique vantage point. • Chiaroscuro—light and shadow model three dimensionality

School of Athens, Raphael *please note symmetry and balance!

Albrecht Durer – Self Portrait

Michelangelo’s, David

Battle of San Romano, Uccello

Judith Slaying Holofernes, Gentileschi

Primavera, Botticeli

Botticelli’s Birth of Venus (c. 1480)

Botticelli, Adoration of the Magi, 1470 -75

Da Vinci’s, Last Supper

Da Vinci’s, Mona Lisa also called “La Gioconda”

Florence Cathedral and Baptistery Brunelleschi Ghiberti

Saltcellar of Francis I, Cellini

Northern Renaissance Art • Jan Van Eyck begins as an illuminator— detail • Oil paint had been around; he is the first to discover linseed oil, a varnish that dries at a consistent rate • Oil holding pigment in suspension reflects light

“Disguised symbolism” • Single candle and dog: fidelity in marriage • Green: fertility and hope • Shoes removed: standing in a holy places • Gendered space: man is wearing outside clothes and patterns; woman is inside, with slippers • Fascination with reflective surfaces: beads, chandelier

Pieter Bruegel and Hans Holbein

Mannerism (late Ren. but before Baroque) • Characterized by clashing colors • Elongated limbs or body design • Nudity • Uncomfortable poses or positioning • Unbalanced design • Bronzino Deposition

Christian Humanism (love, hope, faith) • Northern Europe • Some anxiety with Secular Humanism • Humanism has the potential to deepen relationship with Christ and create moral reform • Emphasized use of reason and pursued ethical way of life • personal communication with major thinkers all over Europe (Latin)

Notable Christian Humanists Sir Thomas More -wrote Utopia – “means no where” -where time is devoted equally to business and intellectual thinking -where chamber pots are made of precious metals and the wealth is shared equally -respected by all, he was eventually beheaded by Henry VIII as he disapproved of his actions.

Notable Christian Humanists Desiderius Erasmus -wrote The Praise of Folly (1509) and The Education of a Christian Prince (1504) - “I brought it about that humanism, which among the Italians … savored of nothing but pure paganism. ” - Advocates translation of Bible into the vernaculars of the people.

Writer’s of the North • Desiderius Erasmus (1466 -1536), The Praise of Folly • Thomas More (1478 -1538), Utopia • Francois Rabelais (1490 -1553) Gargantua and Pantagruel • Shakespeare (1564 -1593) Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Othello, among others.