5 The Baroque in Spain

The Renaissance is a very important time period that you should become familiar with. Think about what characteristics you can connect to this time period. What is beautiful?

The Renaissance was a period in Europe, from the 14th to the 17th century (around 300 years!), regarded as the cultural bridge between the Middle Ages and modern history. It started as a cultural movement in Florence, Italy, and later spread to the rest of Europe, marking the beginning of the early modern age.

The intellectual basis of the Renaissance was derived from the rediscovery of classical Greek philosophy, such as that of Protagoras, who said that “Man is the measure of all things,” a version of humanism. This thinking influenced art, architecture, politics, science, and literature. The availability of paper and the invention of metal movable type sped the dissemination of ideas, but the changes were not experienced uniformly across Europe.

Cultural, Political, and Intellectual Influences

The Renaissance encompassed the flowering of Latin and vernacular literatures, beginning with the 14th-century resurgence of learning based on classical sources credited to Petrarch; the development of linear perspective and other techniques in painting; and widespread educational reform.

In politics, it contributed to the development of diplomatic conventions, and in science, an increased reliance on observation. The Renaissance is best known for artistic developments and the contributions of polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, inspiring the term “Renaissance man.”

Beginnings

Various theories account for the origins of the Renaissance, including the social and civic characteristics of Florence, its political structure, the patronage of the Medici family, and the migration of Greek scholars and texts to Italy following the Fall of Constantinople.

Some argue that the ideas originated in late 13th-century Florence, in the writings of Dante Alighieri and Petrarch, and the paintings of Giotto di Bondone. The exact start of the Renaissance is debated, and it remains unclear why it began in Italy.

Historical Perspectives on the Renaissance

The Renaissance has a long and complex historiography, with debate among historians questioning the usefulness of “Renaissance” as a term and whether it represented cultural advancement over the Middle Ages.

Some observers questioned whether the Renaissance was truly a cultural advance, seeing it instead as nostalgia for classical antiquity.

The word “Renaissance,” literally “Rebirth,” appears in English from the 1830s. Jules Michelet used it in 1855 in *Histoire de France*. It has also been applied to other movements, such as the Carolingian Renaissance and the 12th-century Renaissance.

Italian Trade Cities

Italian city-states trading during the late Middle Ages set the stage for the Renaissance by moving resources, culture, and knowledge from the East.

Prosperous City-States

Northern and Central Italy became far more prosperous than southern Italy, with city-states like Venice and Genoa among the wealthiest in Europe. The Crusades built lasting trade links to the Levant, and the Fourth Crusade weakened the Byzantine Empire as a commercial rival.

Main trade routes from the east passed through the Byzantine Empire or Arab lands to ports like Genoa, Pisa, and Venice. Luxury goods such as spices, dyes, and silks were imported to Italy and resold across Europe. Inland city-states profited from fertile land, generating surpluses that supported investment in mining and agriculture.

Florence became one of the wealthiest cities due to woolen textile production supervised by the guild Arte della Lana. Wool was imported from Northern Europe and Spain, and combined with eastern dyes for high-quality textiles.

Revitalizing Trade Routes

By the 13th century, Europe experienced strong economic growth. Italian trade routes connected with Mediterranean ports and the Hanseatic League, creating a network economy. Italian city-states became de facto independent from the Holy Roman Empire. Florence became a financial hub, and the gold florin became the main currency of international trade.

Population growth, urbanization, and commerce influenced Northern Italy. Cities like Venice, Florence, and Milan had over 100,000 inhabitants, and many others over 50,000. Urbanization reached 20%, the highest in Europe. The decline of feudalism and rise of cities influenced trade and wealth distribution.

The Transfer of Culture and Knowledge

Italian trade routes also transmitted culture and knowledge. Greek texts preserved by Arab scholars and recovered during the Crusades revitalized Renaissance philosophy. Byzantine scholars migrated to Italy, sparking new linguistic studies in Florence and Venice. Humanist scholars recovered Latin authors, and the rediscovery of Vitruvius influenced architecture.

The printing press, introduced in Italy in the 1460s-1470s, made books cheaper and more widely available, increasing literacy among merchants and middle classes. Vernacular Italian also spread culture beyond scholars to merchants, artisans, and women.

The Rise of the Merchant Class

Northern and Central Italy became among the richest regions in Europe. The new mercantile governing class adapted feudal models and controlled city-state governments, enhancing trade. Catastrophes like the Black Death created labor shortages, increasing wages and wealth, and fostering a class of bankers, merchants, and artisans.

The Medici Family

The House of Medici was an Italian banking family and political dynasty, rising under Cosimo de’ Medici in 15th-century Florence. They funded the Medici Bank, gained political power, and sponsored art and architecture. The Medici Bank was one of the largest in Europe, and the family improved double-entry bookkeeping.

The era identified as the Renaissance lasted 300 years. Consider how historians and educators capture the unique characteristics of such a long period.

“The Renaissance: Was It a Thing? – Crash Course World History #22” by CrashCourse is all rights reserved.

Adapted from “The Renaissance” by LibreTexts, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.