Ch.

12 Renaissance &
Reformation p. 396
 Part 1 The Renaissance: French for “rebirth,” emphasized
secularism (worldly), awareness of ties to ancient Greece/Rome, &
individual ability.
Italian: renaissance began here; premise is that a well-rounded person is best. Da Vinci:
painter, sculptor, architect, inventor, mathematician.

Because Italy did not have a strong central govt during the middle ages, city-states became
powerful. Milan, Venice (remember from Ch 10--what was this city already famous for?),
Florence.

The renaissance was made possible by the increase in wealth due to the increase in
agricultural production. This increase in wealth afforded people the time and money to
buy and take part in luxury goods and hobbies.

Small groups of wealthy aristocrats stayed in power. (Medici family held power in Florence)
 Machiavelli on Power
Italians LOVE(D) power. (maybe that’s why they didn’t
have a strong central govt)
Niccolo Machiavelli wrote a book about power called
The Prince. He rejected previous, popular approach
that said rulers must follow christian doctrines. Instead
he thought MORALITY was the biggest motivator.
Men should reject natural urge to be selfish.
Renaissance Society : highly structured class system
Nobility: 2-3% of population. Served as advisors to kings. BORN--
not made. Must have character, grace, and talent, warrior, and
classical education.
Peasants/Townspeople: 85-90% of population. Decrease in
serfdom. Instead, people were peasants NOT obligated to Lords.
Patricians---Burghers (shop owners, artisans, guild masters)---
workers (miserable lives)
Family/Marriage: dowry $ wife’s family gave to prospective husband;
father-husband center of family.
STOP
 Part 2 Ideas & Art of the renaissance
Italian Renaissance Humanism: (human-centered world) based on classics of Greece &
Rome. (grammar, rhetoric, poetry, philosophy, & history--or humanities); completely
changed education
Petrarch: Father of Italian Renaissance Humanism; revived Latin classics
Vernacular Literature: opposite of humanists; authors like Chaucer- Canterbury Tales-
Dante wrote stories in their OWN languages (not Latin)
Renaissance Education: liberal studies promoted virtues & wisdom
Italian Rennaisance Art: Painting-fresco: painting done on fresh,
wet plaster w/ water-based paints, sculpture, architechture,
Rapheal, Michelangelo
Part 3 Protestant Reformation: instability in the Holy Roman
Empire paved the way for reform; Martin Luther began it, but earlier developments led to his
ability to do so.

● From humanism sprang Christian Humanism: goal was to reform the

Catholic Church; inward religious feeling should come from reading basic
Christian literature in order to show people how to live like Jesus Christ EVERY
DAY. Pilgrimages, fasts, and relics were not important. Erasmus was the best
known Christian Humanist.
● Why reform? CORRUPTION in the church; Popes more concerned with politics
than spirituality. Pope Julius II was actually a soldier who fought. Priests SOLD
indulgences (Think C Tales)
 Martin Luther
● Catholic Monk and Professor at Univ of Wittenberg; Catholic believe(d) that both faith
and GOOD WORKS were needed to gain personal salvation (heaven). Luther thought
works didn’t matter. Justification by FAITH alone. Bible ONLY source of religious truth.
● 95 Theses: Luther is still Catholic-writes an attack on abuses of the sale of indulgences
● He gets excommunicated in 1521 and convinces German Princes to rebel against the
Catholic church.
● Edict of Worms: Holy Roman Emperor Charles V calls Martin Luther an outlaw. Luther
went into hiding.
● Lutheranism was the FIRST protestant faith.
● A LOT OF factors help this movement gain speed: 1. Holy Roman Emperor Charles V had
MANY political issues to deal with, in addition to this. 2. Empire was TOO large to control
every little detail. 3. Ottoman Turks had to be dealt with. SO…
● Peace of Augsburg: agreement formally accepted division of Christianity in Germany.
stop
 part 4: Spread of Protestantism: of course
different forms began to crop up.
● Divisions
 Zwinglian: Priest in Switzerland who initiated & devised his own form of Protestantism;
united with Germans to fight Catholics.
 Calvin: replaced Zwinglian in Zurich, Switzerland after he slaughtered on the
battlefield. His big premise is the belief in predetestination: God has already determined
who will be saved and who will not. (the Calvinists are saved) Eventually became more
powerful and larger than Lutheranism.
 Reformation in England: Henry VIII– you know the story BREAK FROM ROME;
Named himself head of the church of England
 Anabaptists: believed in complete separation of church and state;
Both Catholics and Protestants thought Anabaptists to be radical.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czX_ExP5kG8
 REFORMATION
● Even though they were supposed to, during reformation the lives of women and Jews
did not improve.
● 3 things helped the Catholic Church recover from protestant movement:

 Jesuits (society if Jesus): under Ignatius of Loyola–monks took a special vow of

absolute obedience to the pope and used education to spread his message

 Reform of Papacy: during the Italian renaissance, the popes (Innocent!) participated in
illicit financial transactions, political affairs, and military actions. Pope John Paul III
realized this and stopped it calling for the:

 Council of Trent: went back to traditional faith and good works with the Pope as a
leader. In opposition to protestants.