CHAPTER 12
RECOVERY AND REBIRTH:
THE AGE OF THE RENAISSANCE
Renaissance - the “rebirth” of classical culture that occurred in Italy from 1350-1550
Jacob Burckhardt - a 19th century Swiss historian and art critic (author of The Civilization of the
Renaissance in Italy; published 1860) that created the modern concept of the
Renaissance by showing: “how a period should be treated in its entirety, with regard not
only for its paintings sculptures and architectures, but for the social institutions of its
daily life as well”.
Leon Battista Alberti - a 15th century Florence architect, often seen as the Renaissance’s “universal man”.
Supported that individuality (dignity and potential) created the new social idea of the
well rounded person (universal person) capable of many achievements.
Hanseatic League - a successful organization of Northern German costal towns and merchants; commercial
and military association; est. in 13th century. Also established settlements and
commercial bases in cities of England and Northern Europe.
House of Medici - was one of the most successful banks in the early mid 15th century in Europe. It had
branches in Venice, Milan, Rome, Avignon, Bruges, London, and Lyons. But eventually
suffered a sudden decline at the end of the 15th century due to poor leadership and bad/
uncollectible loans.
Castiglione’s Book of the Courtier - this was the fundamental handbook for European aristocrats and was
first published in 1528, it describes many of the basic elements to
becoming a perfect courtier.
condottieri - were leaders of bands of mercenary soldiers in Renaissance Italy who sold their services to the
highest bidders.
Francisco Sforza - he was one of the leading condottieri of the 15th century and conquered Milan, Italy and
became its new duke after the death of the last Visconti ruler of Milan
Cosimo d’Medici - (1434-1464) he took control of Florence’s small merchant oligarchy that manipulated
the government in 1434. He also dominated Florence when it was the center of the
cultural Renaissance with Lorenzo the magnificent (his grandson).
the Papal States - they were located in central Italy and were normally under the political control of Popes.
Papal residents in Avignon and the Great Schism created cities (Urbina, Bologna, and
Ferrara) free of papal authority.
Isabella d'Este - (1474-1539) she was the daughter of the duke of Ferrara; married Francesco
Gonzaga (marquis of Mantua) which let her rule Mantua. she was known for her
intelligence and political wisdom, and was a clever negotiator; she was often referred to as
“the first lady of the world”.
Peace of Lodi and balance of power - the peace of Lodi was signed in 1454 by the Italian states, initiated a
balance of power concept, ended almost a half century war, and
established a relatively peaceful 40 year era in Italy. This balance of
power was a concept in European diplomacy in which no one state or
nation was allowed to become too powerful at the expense of others.
1527 sack of Rome - this great event was caused by the armies of the Spanish king, Charles I, and was able
to bring a temporary end to Italian wars.

Machiavelli’s The Prince - Written in 1513, this was one of the most famous treatises on political power in
the Western world (mentions Cesare Borgia as a good example of a leader)
individualism - an emphasis on and interest in the unique traits of an individual person.
secularism - being more concentrated with material, worldly, temporal things and less with spiritual and
religious things.
Renaissance humanism and civic humanism - Renaissance humanism was an intellectual movement based
on the study of classical literary works of Greece and Rome.
Civic humanism was an intellectual movement of the Italian
Renaissance that saw Cicero (an intellectual and statesman)
as the ideal and held that humanists should be involved
in government and use their rhetorical training in the service
of the state.
Petrarch - (1304-1374) he was an immodest poet often called the father of Italian Renaissance humanism.
He was also the first to characterize the Middle Ages as a period of darkness.
Leonardo Bruni’s The New Cicero - biography of Roman Cicero written by humanist Leonardo
Bruni(1370-1444) in which he waxed enthusiastic about the fusion of
potential political action and literary creation in Cicero’s life.
Lorenzo Valla - (1407-1457) was a “consciousness of being” humanitarian, raised in Rome, educated in
Greek and Latin, and a papal secretary. Wrote “The Elegances of Latin Language” in an
effort to purify medieval Latin and restore it to its proper position over the vernacular.
Marsilio Ficino and Neoplatonism - Marsilio (1433-1499) translated Plato’s dialogues for the Florentines
Platonic Academy. Dedicated his life to exposition of Platonic
philosophy, Neoplatonism, which was a synthesis of Christianity and
Platonism/ neoplatonic hierarchy of substances, and a theory of
spiritual love.
Renaissance hermeticism - (product of Florentine intellectual environment) new view of humankind based
on the Greek work, Corpus Hermeticism: focused on occult sciences(astrology,
alchemy, magic), theological and philosophical beliefs and speculations, and
pantheism(seeing divinity in nature, heavenly bodies and earthly objects).
Believed humans were once divine but chose a material world and could return
by purifying themselves.
Pico della Mirandola’s Oration - (1463-1464) wrote about all the “nuggets of universal truth” that he
believed were all part of God’s revelation to humanity in his novel
Oration on the Dignity of Man.
“liberal studies” - seen as a key to true freedom as in Concerning Character by Pietro Paolo
Vergerio(1370-1444). Studies were considered liberal if they were worthy of a free man.
These studies included: history, moral philosophy, eloquence(rhetoric), letters(grammar
and logic), poetry, mathematics, astronomy, and music. Liberal studies were used to
produce individuals on the path of wisdom.
Francesco Guicciardini - (1483-1540) known as greatest historian by some Renaissance scholars.
Introduced modern analytical historiography. With an extensive background in
government and diplomatic affairs he was able to analyze political situations
precisely and critically. His works relied mostly on personal examples and
documentary sources.

Johannes Gutenberg - helped develop movable type printing, which he used to type the first book using
moveable type printing, “Gutenberg’s Bible”.
Masaccio - (1401-1428) said to have made the first masterpiece of the Renaissance, the Brancacci Chapel.
Used three-dimensional human figures and pastels to create a new style of Renaissance art.
Lorenzo the Magnificent - Florence leading citizen, had a court to study a bright new sense of invention
with many other artists.
Botticelli’s Primavera - (means “spring”) Reflects a strong interest in classical antiquity. Displays Venus,
Flora, the Three Graces, Cupid, and Mercury.
Donatello’s David - first stood in the courtyard of the Medici Palace. Carries an inscription praising
Florentine heroism and virtue(so was likely to commemorate their victory over Milan
in 1428). Its pose is used to display the dignity of humanity.
Brunelleschi’s dome - (1377-1446) Gained a lot of inspiration from architectural monuments in Rome,
which he used for new architecture in Florence. He started with a dome for the
incomplete Cathedral of Florence (the Duomo).
High Renaissance - new form of scientific observation art at the end of the 15th century. flourished between
1480 and 1520 with famous artists such as: Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and
Michelangelo.
Leonardo da Vinci - transitional figure in the shift to High Renaissance principles. Studied several different
aspects, even dissected human bodies to see how nature worked. Initialized the
idealization of nature.
Raphael - one of Italy’s best painters, wanted to achieve an ideal of beauty far beyond human standards.
Able to reveal a world of balance, harmony and order (the underlying principles of the art of the
classical world of Greece and Rome
Michelangelo’s David - colossal marble statue commissioned by Florentine government in 1501(completed
in 1504, 14 feet tall). It proudly proclaims the beauty of the human body and the
glory of humans.
Sistine Chapel’s ceiling - trying to tell the story of the fall of man with nine scenes from the book of
Genesis. The styles of the paintings are greatly influenced by Neoplatonism.
Bramante and Saint Peter’s - Donoto Bramante came from Urbino and designed a small temple on Saint
Peter’s martyrdom.
Giorgio Vasari’s Lives of the Artists - He was an avid admirer of Italy’s great artists and wrote a series of
brief biographies of them.
Northern Renaissance - took the place of painters and created a special school featuring it in Flanders.
Jan van Eyck - (1390-1441) He was the first to use oil based paint in his paintings. Because of this, his
famous Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride was extremely detailed.
Albrecht Durer - (1471-1528) He was an artist from Nuremburg. His most famous painting, the Adoration
of the Magi incorporated the laws of perspective and ideals of proportion.
madrigals -

“new monarchies” - this was the government of France, England and Spain at the end of the 15th century,
whose rulers succeeded in reestablishing or extending centralized royal authority,
suppressing the nobility controlling the church, and insisting on the loyalty of all
peoples living in their territories.
Louis XI the Spider - (1461-1483) He was known as “the spider” for his devious ways and secured a
regular source of income.
Henry VII (Tudor) - (1485-1509) He worked to reduce internal dissension and establish a strong
monarchial government.
Ferdinand and Isabella - Together they reclaimed Spain from the Muslims and later expelled Jews and
Muslims (1492). They reorganized the several military forces of Spain. They also
recognized the importance of controlling the Catholic church, with its vast power
and wealth, and they pursued a strict policy of religious uniformity.
Spanish Inquisition - the Spanish policy toward the Indians of the new world wars a combination of
confusion, misguided paternalism, and cruel exploitation. So, some settlers ignored
their government and brutally controlled the Indians. Possessions were later divided
into 2 major administrative units”: New Spain, Mexico, Central America, and the
Caribbean islands.
the Habsburgs -
Ivan III - (1462-1505) he was the principle of Moscow and took advantage of dissension among the
Mongols to throw off their yoke by 1840. They also annexed other Russian principalities.
the Fall of Constantinople, 1453 -
John Wyclif and the Lollards - (1328-1384) English Lollardy was a product of the Oxford theologian John
Wyclif, whose disgust with clerical corruption led him to a far ranging
attack on papal authority and medieval Christian beliefs and practices.
Wyclif alleged that there was no basis in Scripture for papal claims of
temporal authority and their property.
John Hus and the Hussites - (1374-1415) He was the Chancellor of the University of Prague. In his call for
reform, he urged the elimination of the corruption of the clergy and attacked
the excessive power of the papacy within the Catholic church.
Pius II’s Execrabilis -
Renaissance popes -