The Renaissance Chapter 5 Section 1

Italian Renaissance Renaissance means rebirth Italian Renaissance occurred between 1350 and 1550 AD. The rebirth was of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds.

City States Italy of the Renaissance was largely an urban society. The powerful city-states of the Middle Ages became political, economic, social centers. A secular, or worldy, viewpoint developed in this urban society as wealth increased.

Leonardo da Vinci

Da Vinci: The Renaissance Man Well-rounded, universal people were capable of achievements in many areas of life. Da Vinci was a… Painter Sculptor Architect Inventor Mathematician

Da Vinci continued…

Italian States Northern and Central Italian city states of Milan, Venice and Florence played crucial roles in the Italian politics of the time. Florence rose to be a major city-state thanks to the leadership of Cosimo de Medici in 1434 AD. Florence became the cultural center of Italy under the rule of the Medici Family.

The Italian States Milan – Francesco Sforza conquered the city with his mercenaries – soldiers for hire. Strong centralized state with an efficient tax system.

The Italian States Venice – link between Asia & Western Europe. Small group of wealthy merchants ran the city. It became an international power.

Map of Italy

Niccolo Machiavelli

Machiavelli and The Prince Machiavelli wrote The Prince which became one of the most influential works on political power in the Western World. The book stresses that “the end justifies the mean

Renaissance Society Nobles were expected to fulfill certain ideals. The Italian Baldassare Castiglione expressed these in The Book of the Courtier. Nobles were expected to have talent, character and grace. Nobles were to develop two skills: perform military/physical exercises and to gain classical education.

Baldassare Castiglione

Renaissance Society continued… Peasants made up 85% to 90% of the total European population (the low class). Townspeople (workers and the unemployed) made up the 2 nd class. Less than 1% of the population were apart of the Noble Class.

Renaissance Society continued…. To maintain the family, parents arranged marriages, often to strengthen family or business ties. The marriage was sealed with a dowry- a sum of money the bride’s family paid to the groom.

Review What were the key developments of the city states? What did the Medici Family do? Who was the Renaissance Man? What was the point of Machiavelli’s book The Prince? Who wrote on the Nobility’s traits and skills?