Roger Bacon, a scientific philosopher who lived in England in the 13 th century. Here he is referring to the importance of rationalism, knowledge and love throught in his writings .
From 14 th century onwards a series of changes took place in the social, economic, and political spheres of Europe.
Along with the influence of the Greco-Roman cultures of ancient Europe, a tendency to move away from the ideas that existed in the medieval times also gained strength.
Examine the characteristic features of these changes in Europe in 14 th Century ?
Humanism
Growth of urban life
Monetary economy
Progress of trade
Importance gained by regional languages Rise of nation states
Individual liberty
Rationalism
Changes in the realms of art and science
Humanism
Its a way of thinking that emphasis the importance of Human life rather than religious thoughts and ideas.
Renaissance
The word "Renaissance" means "rebirth."
It denotes the revival of ancient Greco-Roman culture, which began around the 14th century.
Major cities that flourished in medieval Italy ?
Milan
Genoa
Pisa
Parma
Florence
Venice
Bologna
Naples
Rome
Give reasons, Why were the Cities in Italy different from the rest in Europe?
They were more independent, wealthy, and dynamic.
Traders in these cities were well aware about banking and insurance.
Some of them had expertise in technical matters of trade, such as bookkeeping.
Many of them had become extremely wealthy through trade.
What changes made commercialisation in Italy ?
The commercialisation that occurred in Europe by the 11 th century led to the disintegration of the medieval feudal system and the decline of the religious supremacy.
This led to the emergence and domination of the new wealthy class.
As a result, several wealthy families also emerged in Italy.
They demanded a share in the political power.
Features of feudal system that prevailed in Europe?
The feudal system was a social, economic, and political structure that dominated medieval Europe, roughly from the 9th to the 15th century. It was based on a hierarchy of landownership and reciprocal obligations. At the top was the king or monarch, who granted large estates to nobles or lords. These lords, in turn, granted portions of their land to vassals or knights in exchange for military service and loyalty. The vassals managed the land and provided protection. At the bottom were peasants or serfs, who cultivated the land and produced goods, often bound to the manor and obliged to serve their lords. This system created a network of mutual responsibilities, with land serving as the main economic resource and loyalty as the key social bond.
Some of these families and their respective cities.
Medici – Florence
Sforza – Milan
Borgia – Rome
Doria – Genoa
Contarini – Venice
Grimani – Venice
Italian cities were wealthier compared to other European cities. Describe the circumstances that led to this ?
The Crusades that took place during the medieval period facilitated cultural exchange between the East and the West.
Italian cities got acquainted with the cultures, cities, and lives of the people in the Eastern world. This accelerated the growth of Italian cities.
As a result of trade links with the Islamic Empire and the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire, enormous wealth flowed into the Italian cities.
Merchants in Italian cities gained monopoly in the trade between the East and the West in the Mediterranean region
The Bubonic Plague, which erupted in the mid-14 th century, severely affected the Italian cities. This catastrophic event, known as the 'Black Death,' claimed the lives of thousands, resulting in a severe shortage in labour.
The Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars
from the 11th to 13th centuries initiated by European Christians to
reclaim Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslim control. They involved
multiple expeditions, resulting in both military and cultural exchanges,
but also conflict and suffering. The Crusades had significant
political, economic, and religious impacts on Europe and the Middle
East.
Discuss the impact brought about by the outbreak of the plague in 14th century in various fields in Europe ?
Declined medieval feudalism.
It was heavily reliant on the agricultural sector.
Emergence of middle class.
People began to explore the medical sciences of ancient Greece and Rome.
Human beings to contemplate the fleeting nature of life, seek wellness, and focus on their own well - being.
Emergence of humanism.
Assess the impact of the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks on the intellectual landscape of Italy ?
In 1453, the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Constantinople was a centre of many scholars who possessed manuscripts of ancient Greco Roman literary works
After the Turkish conquest, these scholars migrated to Italian cities, bringing their manuscripts with them.
They began to spread to libraries.
Wealth and political freedom created a fertile ground for artistic innovation and cultural experimentation.
Novel ideas began to emerge in the cultural and intellectual spheres.
Difference between scholasticism and Humanism
scholasticism
Scholasticism is a Philosophy, which was deeply rooted in Christian theology.
It prioritised the divine and the afterlife.
Humanism emerged as a departure from Christian theology.
Humanism
It encouraged knowledge and research.
Emphasis on human experience, worldly life and rational inquiry.
It encourages the uniqueness, emotions, capabilities, literary expression, and communication skills.
How did the emergence of humanism impact the course of world history?
People began to read ancient Greco-Roman works.
Humanists produced works in regional languages.
Created paintings and sculptures in the Greco Roman style.
Greco-Roman art depicted Gods, the wealthy, and the powerful in all its beauty and splendour.
Humanism later became a source and inspiration for transformative changes across various spheres, including painting, architecture, literature, politics, history, science, and religion.
Middle Age paintings tend to emphasise spiritual themes, such as angels and heavenly realms.
Renaissance paintings focus on the beauty of the human form, originality, and a naturalistic use of colours.
This shift in artistic focus was a hallmark of the Renaissance period, during which fields like painting, sculpture, and architecture underwent profound transformations.
Florence, one of the major commercial centres in Europe was also the centre of Renaissance in Italy.
Painting
Humanistic ideals were reflected profoundly in Renaissance paintings.
Painters of the time presented human forms with remarkable accuracy, clarity, and meticulous attention to detail in their works.
The knowledge they had acquired about human anatomy facilitated this artistic achievement.
Moreover, painters emphasised rationalism and human emotions, attributing significance to the values of this world.
With the influence of humanism, artworks became increasingly precise and realistic.
Painters often selected themes that emphasised theological significance for their works.
What were the features of Renaissance Paintings?
Landscapes
The use of colour to illustrate light and spatial depth
Realistic depiction of the human body The use of oil paint
Portraits
The representation of divine figures in idealised human forms
The influence of Greco-Roman art was first evident in Giotto's works.
Masaccio
it was Masaccio, a painter who emerged later created a profound impact on all artists who came later.
His wall paintings, characterised by their round in shape and seemed to protrude from the surface, showcased human figures engaging in everyday life experiences.
‘The Last Supper’ and ‘Mona Lisa’ are the world-famous paintings of Leonardo da Vinci.
These paintings speak of the unique way in which da Vinci harmonises colour, shadow and light.
He was a versatile genius who scientifically studied the human body.
In the 'Last Supper,' emotions like surprise, fear and guilt of Christ's disciples are vividly etched as Christ reveals that one of them betray him.
It is widely acknowledged that the enigmatic expressions of Mona Lisa conceals many unanswered questions, masterfully embedded by Leonardo da Vinci.
Michelangelo
The paintings done on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel at Vatican,along with 'The Last Judgment,' have cemented Michelangelo's status as an immortal artist.
His works predominantly feature powerful and graceful human forms.
Titian and Raphael
Other notable painters of the Renaissance period include Titian and Raphael.
Raphael portrayed humans as wise, moderate, and dignified.
In their paintings, beauty and ideas were given equal importance.
Sculpture
Sculpture was another equally notable field of Renaissance art.
Donatello was one of the most important sculptors of the Renaissance period.
He liberated the art of sculpture from the medieval Gothic style, giving his works greater power and individuality.
His iconic bronze sculpture, 'David,' showcases a youthful figure standing with his weight shifted onto one leg.
Another notable work, 'Gattamelata,' depicts a soldier sitting on horseback, evoking the cavalrymen of ancient Rome Through this masterpiece, Donatello immortalised a secular hero.
Michelangelo's sculptures, which depicted Gods in human forms, deviated significantly from the traditional ancient Greco-Roman style.
His renowned works, such as the 'Pietà,' portrays Virgin Mary, with Jesus Christ on her lap and the majestic sculpture of 'David,' have cemented his legacy as an immortal artist.
Architecture
Filippo Brunelleschi set a new style in architecture.
Quite different from the Gothic architectural style of the medieval period, influence of ancient Greco-Roman (classical) style is evident in the Cathedral he built in Florence.
The lofty towers found in Gothic style, were replaced with domes (Dumo). Later, in the St. Peter's Basilica, built Under the supervision ofMichelangelo and Bramante, this style is more evident.
Renaissance writers gave importance to individual liberty and secular values.
The basic characteristic of Renaissance literature was its breaking away from the scholasticism of the Middle Ages.
Although influenced by ancient Greco-Roman culture, most Renaissance writers chose to produce their works in regional languages.
Prose literature gained prominence during this period.
Dante, the renowned author of The Divine Comedy, was a prominent literary figure during the Renaissance period.
The poem's theme revolves around Dante's imagined pilgrimage through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise.
However, it also profoundly reflects human emotions, patriotism, fascination for natural phenomena, and the longing for a unified and independent Italy.
Dante wrote The Divine Comedy in the regional language.
Another world-renowned writer, Petrarch, was a leading exponent of humanism. His sonnets addressing Laura reflected a bold and unique style.
However, Petrarch remained committed to writing in Latin.
Another notable Renaissance writer was Boccaccio, the author of the celebrated work The Decameron.
Niccolò Machiavelli's work, "The Prince," presents political thoughts.
He believed that a ruler's paramount responsibility is to maintain the authority and security of the state.
He also believed that individuals are generally selfish, driven by a desire for power and material prosperity.
He advocated that a head of state should remain impartial and avoid showing favouritism or obligation to specific groups among the subjects.
In The Prince, Machiavelli portrays an administrator who is different from the traditional medieval feudal administrators.
Dante - ‘ The Divine Comedy’
Petrarch – Sonnets addressing Laura reflected
Boccaccio - The Decameron
Niccolò Machiavelli - ‘ The Prince’
During the Italian Renaissance, several women recognised the significance of humanism. Among them, the most notable was the humanist and writer Cassandra Fedele. She earned a name through her writings and speeches, emphasising the importance of providing higher education to women.
Fedele maintained a lively correspondence with wealthy Italian lords who championed humanism.
Her speeches and writings were printed, published, and popularised by several prominent publishing houses.
Renaissance extended beyond Italy, impacting the literature of other countries.look at some of them