Renaissance and
Reformation: A study in
Change
Unit 5
Renaissance
• Means “Rebirth” of culture after plague in
1300s to 1500s
• Re-education of society in antiquity AKA
Greece and Rome
Humanism
• Humanism- the individual is the most important
– Secular (not religious)
– All about self achievement and education
• Man is the center and measure of all things.” –
Pythagoras 500BCE
Eastern Influence on the Renaissance
• Eastern goods popular
– Made merchants rich
– More rich people = more time to think
• Muslims preserved most Greek and Roman
texts
– all about education 300-500 years before
Europe
• China explored Americas and Europe in 1300s
Italy: The Cradle
• Italy- birthplace of the Renaissance
• Why?
former center of Roman empire
Vatican - seat of Roman Catholic
Church
location on Mediterranean –
interactions w/ foreigners
Italy breaks up into city-states ruled
by rich families
The Medici Family
• Merchant family
ruled Florence
1400s
Center of
Renaissance
Patrons of the arts
Cosmo de Medici
Renaissance Art
• Funded by
wealthy patrons
Church
Monarchies
Most were religious or about antiquity
Very realistic
Perspective
Shading and lighting techniques
• Fresco – painting onto wet plaster
Gothic
vs.
Renaissance
Leonardo da Vinci
• Renaissance man
• Artist,
mathematician,
scientist, engineer,
writer, and military
strategist
• Mona Lisa
• The Last Supper
Mona
Lisa
The Last
Supper
Michelangelo
• “Renaissance
Man” too
• Sculptor, painter,
poet, architect, and
engineer
• The Pieta (Mary
with Jesus after
the cross)
• Sistine Chapel
Pieta– Michelangelo
Zoom of Sistine Chapel Ceiling “The
Creation of Man” – Michelangelo
• This is why so many people see God as
an old white dude with a beard.
•
•
•
•
Raphael
“Renaissance
Man” too
Sculptor, painter
Buried in St.
Peters Cathedral,
Vatican
Cherubs, (pudgy
kid angels) and
School of Athens
School of Athens - Raphael
Literature
• Gutenberg invents moveable type
printing press
–Bi Sheng (CHN) did it 400 years earlier
Machiavelli -The Prince
King’s job is not to lead, but to keep
power
any means necessary
Religion
• Renaissance writers criticized Church
abuses
–Indulgences
–War waged by the Church
–Affairs/illegitimate kids
–Bible/services in Latin
Protesting Indulgences
• Martin Luther
monk and
professor
protested church
• Posted 95 Theses
in1517
Copied and read
everywhere
FR, ENG, ITL
Luther’s Teachings = Trouble
• Everyone should be able to read Bible
• Anyone should be able to preach (if you’re
white and a dude)
• No indulgences
• Clergy isn’t holy
• Diet of Worms, Luther’s trial
Excommunicated (kicked out of church)
Wouldn’t recant (take back his words)
Had to hide with friends
Translated the Bible into German
Luther’s Wife
• Katharina von Bora
Ex escaped nun
"There is no bond on earth so
sweet, nor any separation so
bitter, as that which occurs in a
good marriage."
"My Katie is in all things so obliging and pleasing to
me that I would not exchange my poverty for the
riches of Croesus."
Revolt and Division of Germany
• Lutherans call themselves Protestants
(protestors)
• Peasants revolt, Luther says “don’t”
Tens of thousands killed
• 1555 Peace of Augsburg
each prince decides their religion
north chose Protestantism
south chose Catholicism
Henry VIII
• Henry VIII (King of
ENG) abandons the
Catholic Church when
they won’t let him get
a divorce.
• Henry creates The
Church of England
(AKA The Anglican
Church)
• Makes everyone in
ENG go protestant
AKA Bloody Mary
• Edward died in teens, tuberculosis
• Mary, first daughter with Catherine of
Aragon takes over.
• Wanted Catholic state
–Saw Protestantism as just a way for her
dad to get “dates”
• Burned alive three hundred protestants as
heretics
Queen Elizabeth I
• Mary dies- Elizabeth I
was crowned
• She is Protestant
• Known as the “Virgin
Queen” for her refusal
to marry
• Brings about a short
time of peace and
culture in England
– Elizabethan Era
The Catholic Reformation
• Council of Trent.
– 18 years.
– Faith and good works = salvation.
– Killed indulgences.
– Pope is the supreme leader
Legacy of the Catholic Reformation
• Many returned to Catholic faith
• Church abuses reduced
• 1600 majority of Europe was Catholic, but
many stayed Protestant
• Differing interpretations of what it is to be a
“Christian”
• Jews, victims of Catholics and Protestants
• Segregated into “ghettos”