Wealth, trade, and the Church Italian Renaissance Wealth, trade, and the Church

Italian Renaissance ( 1420 - 1600 A.D. )

European Population 11th to 14th centuries Justinian Reformation (533 A.D.) Black Death 1328

Italian City-States 14th, 15th, and 16th Centuries Power and growth of European Empires Focus on mono-culturism Rise of humanistic studies, science, and arts Unstable political and economic situation

Italian City-States (cntd) 14th, 15th, and 16th Centuries Shift in regional powers Volatility in economies, trade, social structures Main Point: economic, social, or political stability are not needed for intellectual and cultural experimentation.

Urban Wealth 12th to 13th Centuries-start and apex (Italy) Venice Concentration of wealth and the church: sin, sin, and damnation of the soul: usury!! Birth of City-States Monarchy vs. Regional Autonomy

City-States Firenze/Florence: City-State Medieval Period: Holy Roman Emperor vs. Roman Pope Space for autonomy Banking and Trade

City-States and Regions in Italy Early Renaissance Papal States (Romagna) Republic of Firenze and Venice Kingdom of Napoli Duchy of Milano

Concentration of Wealth Wealth: non-aristocratic vs. nobility Banking and middle class City-States: self-funded autonomy Reorganization of Social Structures Nobility and Banking interests Dwindling of nobility power and papacy

Social Structure in City-States Old nobility and merchant class Emergent capitalists and bankers Less wealthy merchants and tradespeople Poor and destitute (1/4 or population, approx) Domestic slaves

Commerce: a blessing or a curse? Deep class divisions Gender relations Slavery (Southern Italy-12th century) Slaves: Muslims from Spain, North Africa, Crete, the Balkans, and the Ottoman Empire.

Commerce: a blessing or a curse? Slavery and domestic service Ownership: sell and “enjoyment” Off-spring and freedom Parental rights Plantation Slavery: Cyprus and Crete

Firenze Role as cultural center Rulers and glorification of wealth Patrons of arts, sciences, philosophy, architecture, literature Cosimo de’Medici: 1389-1464 Platonic Academy Lorenzo and Piero de’Medici (1449-1492)

Conclusions Socio-economic and political changes led to intellectual, scientific, and artistic experimentation. Power struggles btx Roman Emperor and Pope open space for political autonomy in Italy. Trade and political autonomy facilitated the development of banking industry Concentration of wealth made possible the rise of City-States, trade, and reorganization of social structures Deep divisions between social classes: old nobility and merchant class; emergent capitalists and bankers; Less wealthy merchants and tradespeople; poor and destitute and domestic slaves

Conclusions Concentration of wealth ended the influential role of nobility. Commercial diversity (Sugar Cane Plantations) gave rise to plantation-style slavery during the Renaissance Church officials rose from the ranks of nobility; strong political roles focused on expanding power Last but not least: economic, social, or political stability are not needed for intellectual and cultural experimentation

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