Renaissance Politics Law and Social Customs Governing Italy

Renaissance Politics, Law, and Social Customs

Governing Italy • Italy was a collection of independent city states rather than an empire • Each state has its own government • Some were democraticpeople elected the government • Unified in 1870

City States • Consists of a city and the rural area immediately surrounding it • Has its own government and military • Surrounding area called the hinterlands provides food and other goods

Modern City State- The Vatican

Stay Independent • Italian city states were able to stay independent due to their power from trade wealth and military strength - No one politician or leader could force the city states to join under one rule • Florence and Venice the 2 most powerful city states

Florence • Florence made its fortune in the cloth trade and controlled the kingdom of Naples. • located in Tuscany in northwest Italy • population of 100, 000. Early Florence was ruled by a kind of democracy made up of representatives from the city's guilds. Beginning in 1434, the extremely powerful Medici family ruled Florence.

Venice • Venice is a city built entirely on piles sunk into marshy islands at the head of the Adriatic Sea. • canals function as roads and highways. • population of 150 000 people. • Its navy controlled the trade routes on the Mediterranean. • The supreme ruler was the Doge who was elected for life. - All members of the government all came from wealthy families

Currency • More than 500 currencies were used at this time • The gold florin and the Venetian ducat became the standard unit of currency that was accepted throughout Europe • The Florentine bankers established the wealthiest banks in Europe - Invented cheques and modern accounting practices

Standard Coins Florin Ducat

• Imagine that the government got soo tired of people spending their money on lavish or unnecessary luxuries that they passed laws to regulate how you spent your money • Each social class could spend different amounts • How would you react?

The Sumptuary Laws • A set of laws that prevented extravagance in private life by limiting how much people spent • These laws were made to control behaviour such as: - wearing certain clothing - consuming certain foods and beverages - hunting game in certain areas.

The Importance of Family • Families were usually large and relied in each other • Immediate families shared the home with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins • Children learned the trade of their family business

Renaissance Marriage • Choice in marriage was dependent on social class • Middle class families gave their children more freedom of choice • Upper class families still preferred to arrange marriages that would promote family interests • Wives were almost always younger than her husband she came with a dowry • Weddings were elaborate affairs

Born Into Power • The Medici family was the most powerful family in Italy - Important part of the Political and cultural life of Florence • Made their fortune as wool and silk merchants and as bankers • Used their wealth to control the city

Patrons of the Arts • The Medici family helped to encourage the growth of culture by finding and supporting the most famous artists - Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarotti