Italian Renaissance Chapter 5 Section 1
The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance,
a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that
spanned the period from the end of the 13th century to about 1600,
marking the transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe.
The word renaissance (Rinascimento in Italian) means rebirth, and
the era is best known for the renewed interest in the culture of
classical antiquity after the period that Renaissance humanists
labelled the Dark Ages. These changes, while significant, were
concentrated in the elite, and for the vast majority of the
population life was little changed from the Middle Ages. Trade with
Asia The Silk Road Reopens
Silk Road- caravan route that started in China and ended at the
Mediterranean Sea. The Silk Road gets its name from the lucrative
Chinese silk trade, a major reason for the connection of trade
routes into an extensive trans-continental network. Marco Polo
Marco.. Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler
His father Niccolo and uncle Maffeo traveled throughout China. They
met Kublai Khan and eventually held important positions in the
Chinese Government in Peking. When they returned to meet Marco they
ventured back to Asia. They spent over 24 years on their journey.
In 1269, they returned to Venice to meet Marco for the first time.
The three of them embarked on an epic journey to Asia, returning
after 24 years to find Venice at war with Genoa; Marco was
imprisoned, and dictated his stories to a cellmate His stories made
people interested in Asian culture. Mongol Empire Polo Captured by
Genoa At the time when Marco Polo returned from Asia Venice was at
war with Genoa . The two cities were fighting for the trade of the
world. In a great naval battle the Venetians were completely
defeated and Marco was captured by the enemy. Rustichello da Pisa
For a year he was confined in a Genoese prison.
One of his fellow-prisoners was a skillful penman and Marco Polo
dictated to him an account of his experiences in China, Japan, and
other Eastern countries. Written by Rusticello da Pisa II Milione
The book was called II Milione (The Million). His writings made
people curious about Asian cultures. Called The Travels of Marco
Polo in English Trade grew significantly after the spark of
interest in foreign cultures. Kublai Khan was the fifth Great Khan
of the Mongol Empire from 1260 to 1294 and the founder of the Yuan
Dynasty in East Asia. Trading Cities in Italy
Trade Cities in Italy 4 major trading cities: Florence Genoa Milan
Venice 2 Important roles of trade cities Sea ports on the
Mediterranean (Venice and Genoa) Manufacturing centers. Each city
produced certain goods. Venice- Glass Milan- Weapons and silk
Florence- wool weaving into cloth Milan One of the richest
city-states in all of Italy.
Prospered from trade and an efficient tax system The Visconti
family ruled Milan from The last Visconti ruler died in 1447. There
were no more male heirs. Francesco Sforza conquered Milan. Father
of Ludvico Sforza Francesco Sforza Biscione.Viscontis symbol Venice
Venice was a republic that had a leader called a doge.
Venetian word meaning leader. Venice and Genoa had a doge. Venice
was essentially run by a group of merchant-aristocrats that made
government decisions based on their own interests. Aristocrat- a
member of a ruling class or of the nobility. Venice Genoa Sea port
in Italy during the Renaissance.
Holy Roman Emperor was the overlord and the Bishop of Genoa was the
president. Consuls held the actual power in the city. Consuls-
elected officials by the Roman Republic. Florence, Italy Wealth
began with the trade of wool but banking increased their wealth
greatly. Bankers began earning money by making loans and charging
interest. Interest- fee that lenders charge people who borrow money
from them. Florence had a republican form of government similar to
the U.S. The greatest banking family was the Medici family.
Cosimo de Medici The greatest banking family was the Medici family.
Cosimo de Medici was the most powerful member of the family and
ruledFlorence by 1434. Wanted Florence to be the most beautiful
city in the world Cosimo de Medici Paid architects to redesign much
of the city to ensure its beauty. Built libraries and collected
books to enhance education Under his power Florence became the
center of Italian art, literature, and culture. His grandson
Lorenzo also played an integral part in Florence. Girolamo
Savonarola Girolamo Savonarola began condemning the corruption and
excesses of the Medici family. Savonarola gained enough followers
to control Florence. People grew tired of how strict he was on
things like gambling, horseracing, swearing, painting, music,
books. He attacked the corruption of the church. Accused of heresy
and sentenced to death in 1498. The Medici regained power after his
death. Girolamo Savonarola Beginning of the Renaissance
Renaissance- rebirth and refers to the period that followed Europes
Middle Ages. Interest in art and literature revived, especially in
ancient Greek and Roman works. New ways of thinking emerged during
this time period. Important Factors of the Renaissance
Largely an urban society. Was an age of recovery from the disasters
of the 14th century like the plague, political instability, and a
decline of church power. A new view of human beings emerged as
people began to emphasize individual ability. Italian Writers and
Artists
Known as humanities because they explore human activities rather
than the physical world or the nature of God. Italian Writers and
Artists Sources of inspiration: By the 1300s scholars had begun to
broaden their interest beyond religious study. Italian Writers and
Artists
Began studying poetry, history, art, and the Greek and Latin
languages. Known as humanities Humanism- a way of thinking and
learning that stresses the importance of human abilities and
actions. Sources of Inspiration
Interest in the humanities was linked to the rediscovery of ancient
writings. Ancient classical writings by Greek thinkers were brought
to Italy by scholars who tried to escape the Turks Many Latin texts
were found in monasteries These discoveries led to a renewal of
classical Greek and Roman culture In the 1300s Turkes conquered
much of the Byzantine Empire. Scholars seeking to escape the Turks
fled to Italy. They carried rare works of literature with them.
Niccolo Machiavelli Italian writer and politician.
He is one of the main founders of modern political science He did
not care about theories or what should work. Only interested in
what really happened in war and peace. Wrote The Prince. Gave
leaders advice on how to rule. Alighieri (ahl-eeg-yeh-ree) wrote in
Italian rather than Latin. He considered Italian, the peoples
language, to be as good as Latin. The Prince- Machiavelli says that
a ruler must be concerned with reputation but also be willing to
act immorally. As a political scientist, Machiavelli emphasizes the
occasional need for the methodical exercise of brute force, deceit,
and so on. Baldassare Castiglione
Italian diplomat and prominent Renaissance author. Wrote The Book
of the Courtier Described the characteristics of a perfect
Renaissance noble: He was born, not made. Must have character,
grace, and talent. Had to develop two basic skills. Had to perform
military and physical exericses. Expected to have a classical
education. Family and Marriage The family bond was very important
during the Renaissance in Italy. To maintain the family, parents
carefully arranged marriages, often to strengthen business or
family ties. Most important aspect of marriage was the dowry.
Dowry- a sum of money given by the wifes family to the husband upon
marriage. Family and Marriage The father-husband was the center of
the family.
He gave it his name, managed all finances, and made the decisions
that determined his childrens lives. Mothers chief role was to
supervise the household. A fathers authority over his children was
absolute until he died or formally freed his children. Children
became adults when their father went before a judge and formally
freed them. Age of adulthood varied between early teens to the late
twenties.