History 324 The Renaissance in Italy 1250–1520

Italy

Important Terms Commune Commune Contado Contado Guelf Guelf Ghibelline Ghibelline Aristocratic commune Aristocratic commune Concio/Arengo Concio/Arengo Consorteria Consorteria Jakob Burckhard, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (1860) Jakob Burckhard, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy (1860) Civic Humanism Civic Humanism

San Gemignano

Aristocratic Commune Knights move into the cities for economic and political advantage Knights move into the cities for economic and political advantage Their agents emerge as leading merchants Their agents emerge as leading merchants Knights build fortified towers Knights build fortified towers They gradually displace the bishops as political authority (12 th & 13 th centuries) They gradually displace the bishops as political authority (12 th & 13 th centuries) Use conflict between pope & emperor (Guelf v. Ghibelline) Use conflict between pope & emperor (Guelf v. Ghibelline) Knights join together as a commune, bound by oath, form concio (assembly), elect Consul Knights join together as a commune, bound by oath, form concio (assembly), elect Consul

Political Development Rival families (noble and common) form alliances (consorteria) to protect interests Rival families (noble and common) form alliances (consorteria) to protect interests –Usually formed of two or more families –Lived in fortified buildings: “Tower Societies” –Rivalries often led to violence and vendetta Concio looks to outsiders to bring order Concio looks to outsiders to bring order –Podestá assumes absolute authority, usually for short period, then left

Social Classes Aristocrats: 10% Aristocrats: 10% Popolo Grasso: major guild members, some nobles, 30% Popolo Grasso: major guild members, some nobles, 30% Popolo Minuto: minor guild members (60%) Popolo Minuto: minor guild members (60%) –Soto posti: non-citizens (apprentices, day laborers, servants, those w/o property) –Fluid bottom: immigrants from the contado, drifters, thieves, protitutes

Popular Government Emergence of the Popular Commune gradual Emergence of the Popular Commune gradual –Restrictions on nobility who lose tax exemption –Towers torn down to reduce noble influence  Private retinues (bodyguards) and prisons abolished –New official: the Captain of the People  Equivalent to the Podestá, but answers to new popular body, the Council of Elders (Concio Anziani)

Political Identity Use of political propaganda to assert authority of the popular commune Use of political propaganda to assert authority of the popular commune –Construction of Palazzi Publico (higher than aristocratic towers) –Horse races (the Pallio), public plays, religious/secular processions (Corpus Christi) –The Nine in Siena

Politics in Art Siena in the 13 th Century

Politics in Art

Black Death Consequences Consequences –Towns depopulated (up to 70% decline) –Workers organize for better conditions and pay –Seek political representation –Owners seek to restrict these demands  Statue of Labourers in England, 1351  Harsh treatment of rebellions

Early Capitalism in Italy Reliance on unskilled labor (sotto posti) who made up to half of populo minuto Reliance on unskilled labor (sotto posti) who made up to half of populo minuto –No political or economic rights Key features of early capitalism Key features of early capitalism –Separation between owners and workers –Lack of centralized production –Lack of permanence or continuity of production

Woolen Trade Complex: many steps Complex: many steps Competitive and lucrative, high demand Competitive and lucrative, high demand Dominated by a few families in each city Dominated by a few families in each city Prone to revolt by workers, e.g. the Ciompi in 1378 Prone to revolt by workers, e.g. the Ciompi in 1378

Ciompi Revolt, 1378 Condition of sotto posti Condition of sotto posti –No political rights, forbidden to form guilds –Urban revolts common  Marxist historians see emergence of proletariat  Others see complex economic and social change  Result: magnates unite against common people Ciompi Ciompi –Led by Micheli de Lando, gonfalionieri, or flag-bearer of the lower guilds

Demands Demands –Est. of new guilds for dyers, shirtmakers and woolen workers (Ciompi) –Debt relief and abolition of guild courts –Tax reform: end exemptions and impose income tax Over threw government, but then suppressed by united magnates Over threw government, but then suppressed by united magnates Many killed or exiled Many killed or exiled –Replaced by foreign workers

Renaissance Family Best source=Catasto (1427) detailed tax survey compiled in Florence Best source=Catasto (1427) detailed tax survey compiled in Florence Term for extended families varies by area: Term for extended families varies by area: –Florence = consorteria –Genoa = albergo –Venice = fraterna Breakdown of consorteria into nuclear families Breakdown of consorteria into nuclear families –Change in family dynamics –Building of palazzi, variations in wealth Change in marriage patterns Change in marriage patterns –Pre-plague, men marry at years, women c. 18 –Post-plague, c. 29, women at –By 1460, men back to 35-40

Rise of Venice

451: Foundation 451: Foundation 697: Doge 697: Doge 1172: Great Council 1172: Great Council 1297: Closing of the Great Council; Senata 1297: Closing of the Great Council; Senata 1405: Creation of Venetian contado 1405: Creation of Venetian contado

Cathedral of San Marco

Venetian Government Doge Doge Ducal Council Ducal Council Senate (300 men) Senate (300 men) Grand Council Grand Council Council of 10, Dieci Council of 10, Dieci General Assembly /Arengo (abolished 1453) General Assembly /Arengo (abolished 1453) Bridge of Sighs Doge Leonardo Loredan

Despotism Consolidation of the state Consolidation of the state Signoria (lordship) Signoria (lordship) Vicariate Vicariate –Papal or imperial vicar Condottieri Condottieri –Contract soldier Romagna Romagna –Ezzelino da Romano, lord of Verona, 1 st despot Despotism: illegitimate one-man rule Despotism: illegitimate one-man rule Regimes Regimes –Milan: Giangaeazzo Visconti –Verona: della Scala –Padua: Carrara –Ferrara: d’Este –Mantua: Gonzaga

Rise of Milan Visconti of Milan Visconti of Milan –Ghebelline family –Matteo Visconti becomes Captain of the People –Purchase title of imperial vicar –Rule through small councils

The Visconti in Milan Visconti in Milan Visconti in Milan –Uniform legal system throughout contado  Removed local law codes –Appointed local officers –Fiscal policy –Supports education –Standing army –Used ambassadors Visconti gonfalone

Rise of the Medici in Florence Albizzi Regime Albizzi Regime –Rivals of the Medici –Controlled the populo minuto under the Priorate –Introduce Catasto in 1427 to raise taxes (estimo) –Manipulate crowds to achieve political ends Cosimo de Medici takes power in 1434 Cosimo de Medici takes power in 1434

The Medici Cosimo de Medici controls government indirectly Cosimo de Medici controls government indirectly –Financial resources –Has political network  Amici  Party  Balia (emergency committees)  Scala (staircase) –Peace of Lodi (1451)  Florence and Milan against Venice

The World of Humanism Three major states in Italy by the early 15 th century Three major states in Italy by the early 15 th century –Milan –Florence –Venice Triple Alliance of Florence, Milan, and Naples, c Triple Alliance of Florence, Milan, and Naples, c. 1480

Lorenzo de Medici ( ) Ruled Florence from 1469 to 1492 Ruled Florence from 1469 to 1492 –Creates Council of Seventy to control city  Eight of War  Twelve of Finance –Conflicts with Pope Sixtus IV –Pazzi Conspiracy (1478) –Rules as tyrant, but loved

Dante Dante –Not a Humanist, a medieval personality Influential writer Influential writer –On Monarchy  Theory of the Two Ends –The Banquet  The “Will to be Virtuous” –The New Life (La Vita Nuovo) Beatrice as an ideal –Comedy  New vision of afterlife  Use of Italian rather than Latin Dante Aligheiri ( ) Emergence of Humanism

Father of Humanism Father of Humanism –Vita activa –Valued the Ancient world for itself, as a model –Wrote mostly in Latin –Classics a guide to ethics  “ It is better to will the good, than to know the truth”  His book, De Viri Illustribus used biography of ancients—a secular hagiography –Supported (briefly) Cola di Rienzo, the Roman popular leader (Tribune of the People_ –Studia Humanitatis: rhetoric, grammar, poetry –Textual criticism influenced Valla Francisco Petrarch ( ) Petrarch

Giovanni Boccaccio ( ) Petrarch’s student Petrarch’s student Learned Greek Learned Greek Wrote Decameron in Italian Wrote Decameron in Italian On Noble Women On Noble Women –De mulieribus claris Importance of education to chose good over evil Importance of education to chose good over evil

Civic Humanists Coluccio Salutati ( ) Coluccio Salutati ( ) Leonardo Bruni ( ) Leonardo Bruni ( ) Poggio Bracciolini ( ) Poggio Bracciolini ( ) Lorenzo Valla ( ) Lorenzo Valla ( ) Coluccio Salutati

Moral Philosophy Marsilio Ficino ( ) Marsilio Ficino ( ) –Learned Greek from Chrysolorus –Platonic Academy in Florency (founded by Cosimo de Medici) –Tried to synthesize philosophy & religion Giovanni Pico de Mirandola ( ) Giovanni Pico de Mirandola ( ) –Polyglot: Greek, Latin, & Hebrew –Undertook a synthesis of all religions –Rejected authority of Christianity –Mysticism & magic made human knowledge greater

The Papacy in Avignon In 1305, Clement V declines to return to Rome In 1305, Clement V declines to return to Rome –Papal court remains at Avignon until 1378

Avignon Papacy Seven popes are French Seven popes are French –Clement V (d. 1314) –John XXII (d. 1334) –Benedict XII (d. 1342) –Clement VI (d. 1352) –Innocent VI (d. 1362) –Urban V (d. 1370) –Gregory XI (d. 1378) Historically seen as corrupt, but? Historically seen as corrupt, but? –Gradual decline of Church

Decline of Papacy ( ) Secular claims to authority Secular claims to authority –Aristotle’s political theory (ascending power) –Dante’s De Monarchia (1313) –Marsiglio of Padua, Defensor Pacis (1324) –Golden Bull (1356) ends papal choice of emperor –Conciliar theory: Church ruled by “head and members” –Great Schism ( ) Papal control of Church Papal control of Church –Fiscal and legal innovations

Renaissance Papacy Temporal rulers first, spiritual rulers second Temporal rulers first, spiritual rulers second –Pius II ( )  Diplomat & scholar –Calixtus III ( ) Alonso Borgia –Alexander VI ( ) Rodrigo Borgia –Julius II ( ) Giovanni della Rovere Art patrons Art patrons Goal: to make church independent of secular states Goal: to make church independent of secular states Sixtus IV ( )