Renaissance Era Politics Who are the players? Who is in charge? How to rule?
Renaissance Italy Italian City-States Trade = Power Merchants ↑↑ $$ = ↑↑ Political Power
The Players Fr = France M = Milan N = Naples F = Florence V = Venice PS = Papal States A = Aragon (southern Spain)
French Invasions of Italy Treaty of Lodi = M+N+F… (vs. V+PS) M (il Moro) feels threatened by N… asks Fr for help… Fr (Charles VIII) invades F (P. Medici) appeases Fr, offers land Medici out… Savanarola in > theocratic rule Savanarola executed 1498 League of Venice formed 1495 A+V+PS+HRE+M v. Fr > Fr withdraw = peace
Politics & the Church Pope Alexander VI (Borgia family) Corrupt, open sex scandals, abused power Traded favors for $$ & Power Treaty of Tordesillas legacy Pope Julius II (della Rovere family) Aka “Warrior Pope”…Secular… corrupt Holy League (PS+A+V+HRE+Swiss) v Fr >> Concordat of Bologna = Fr stays RC, deal
Machiavelli & The Prince Chaos & Corruption in Italy… resolution? Sought Italian political unity under Medici The Prince = Guidebook of political action Better to be feared than loved… Ends justify the means… Conclusion? Strong rulers are needed, action is valued Hard decisions, ruthlessness as needed
Monarchy & State Needs Trade centers allied with Monarchs End Feudal political / social structure National focus >> ↑↑ Power to Monarch Taxes, Laws, Wars decided by monarch Conflict with nobility, cancel assemblies National Needs Standing military, bureaucracy, court-life, $$
Monarchy Revived
France Charles VII + Jacques Coeur build $$ / admin + English expelled (100 Years War) Burgundy defeated = Rise of France under Louis XI (Valois)
Isabella (Castille) + Ferdinand (Aragon) Spain Isabella (Castille) + Ferdinand (Aragon) = SPAIN unified Conquered Moors Controlled Church, Established Inquisition Expelled Jews & Muslims 1492 Sponsored Columbus 1492 >> Empire Alliances thru marriage w/ HRE & England
England War of the Roses = York v. Lancaster Edward IV (Y) ↓ Richard III (Y) – usurper Henry VII (L) Tudor dynasty (Y+L marriage) Court of Star Chamber justice, ↓↓nobles
Holy Roman Empire Germanic princes resist unification 300+ kingdoms Golden Bull = Electoral College (7) Elected Holy Roman Emperor Germans tied but divided Reichstag: Electors + Princes + Free Cities