CHAPTER 12

RENAISSANCEAND

REFORMATION

SECTION 1

Renaissance and Reformation• Renaissance- means rebirth.• Important characteristics of the Italian

Renaissance: 1. Italy was a largely an urban society (many people lived in large cities). A secular (worldly) viewpoint developed.

• 2. An age of recovery from the disasters of the 14th century: plague, political instability, & decline of Church power.

• 3. A rebirth of interest in ancient culture (culture of ancient Greece and Rome).

• People of the Renaissance began to emphasize what individuals could achieve. They believed humans could accomplish anything and a well rounded person who had achievements in many areas was ideal.

• Leonardo da Vinci- painter, sculptor, architect, inventor, & mathematician.

The Italian States

• City-states remained independent.

• Three main city-states emerged.

• 1. Milan was the crossroads of some of the main trade routes. Conquered by Sforza with the help of mercenaries. Centralized state that had a tax system that gave the government a huge income.

• 2. Venice developed into a trade empire by trading with both Asia and Western Europe. Merchant-aristocrats ran the government according to their own interests.

• 3. Florence was the cultural center of Italy. Ruled by Medici family. Best known: Cosimo de Medici & Lorenzo de Medici. Economy declined due to competition in the cloth market with the English and Flemish. Turned over to Savonarola, who regulated gambling, horseracing, swearing, painting, music, and books. Returned to the Medici rule.

• French King Charles VIII attacked Naples,Italy in 1494 in search for riches. Italy asked for help and for the next 30 years, Spain and France fought over Italy.

• In 1527, Spanish King Charles I led mercenaries to Rome. They had not been paid in months, so they destroyed nearly everything. Looted much of the city and sold church officials as slaves.

The Italian Wars

Niccolo Machiavelli

• Wrote “The Prince”, a book about how to acquire and keep political power. Most important works on political power that was ever written. The prince must understand human nature. He believed that a prince must act on behalf of the state and must be willing to act against his conscience if necessary.

Renaissance Society• Nobility, peasants, townspeople

• Baldassare Castiglione wrote “The Book of the Courtier”. Believed a noble was born, not made, have 2 basic skills: warrior & educated, show their achievements.

• 1. Patricians were the top of urban society- wealthiest. 2. Burghers were the artisans, shopkeepers, guild members. 3. Workers who earned pitiful wages. 30-40%

• Family was important. Parents arranged marriages to improve their status. Paid dowry to husband. Father was center of the Italian family and made all decisions for the family until he died or went before a judge freed his children (adulthood).

• Johannes Gutenburg of Germany helped with the invention of the printing press in Europe. Allowed to compete with China and their printing press.

SECTION 2

Italian Renaissance Humanism

• Humanism- based on the study of the classics, the literary works of ancient Greece and Rome.

• Petrarch was called “The Father of Italian Renaissance Humanism”. Described the intellectual life as a life of solitude.

• In the 1400s, humanists believed it was the duty of intellectuals to live active lives and serve the state

Vernacular Literature

• Vernacular- language of their region. German, Italian, French.

• Dante wrote “Divine Comedy” which told the story of the soul’s journey to salvation.

• Chaucer wrote “Canterbury Tales” which was a collection of stories told by a group of pilgrims on their way to St. Thomas a Becket’s tomb.

Education in the Renaissance

• Believed education could change people.

• Believed that liberal arts helped people reach their full potential.

• Their goal was not to create great scholars but complete citizens.

• For women, religion and morals were emphasized, do they would become good wives and mothers.

Artistic Renaissance

• Artists tried to imitate nature in their works.

• Developed a new worldview in which human beings became the focus of their attention.

• Massaccio- mastered the laws of perspectives and fresco.

• Chief aim of art was realistic portrayal of people, especially human nudes.

• Donatello created realistic, free-standing figures.

• Leonardo da Vinci mastered the art of realistic painting. Painted The Last Supper and Mona Lisa.

• Raphael tried to achieve the ideal beauty. Well-known for his Madonnas (paintings of the Virgin Mary).

• Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel.

SECTION 3

The Protestant Reformation

• This is the name that is used for the reform movement that divided the western Church into Catholic and Protestant groups.

• Major goal was to reform the Catholic Church.

• Believed that in order to change the Church and society, they needed to change the individuals first.

• Desiderius Erasmus believed that Christianity should show people how to live good lives. He criticized the abuses of the Catholic Church. He didn’t want to break away from the Church, however, he sought to reform within the Catholic Church.

Religion on the Eve of the Reformation

• Between 1450 and 1520, the popes were more concerned with Italian politics and worldly interests than with spiritual matters. Concerned more about money and used their church offices to become wealthy.

• People wanted meaningful religion and assurance of salvation, but many Priests were unable to teach them.

• A person could gain an indulgence (a release from all or part of the punishment of sins) through relics and later in the form of certificates.

• This upset many of the reformers.

Martin Luther

• A monk and Professor at University of Wittenberg.

• Catholic teaching stressed both faith & good works were needed to gain salvation. Believed that people could never do enough good works to be saved, rather they are saved by their faith in God.

• Justification (being right with God) by faith.• Nailed his 95 Theses to the door of a Church

attacking the sale of indulgences.

• Also believed that there should be only 2 sacraments: baptism and Eucharist.

• Believed that clergymen should be able to marry.

• Catholic Church excommunicated him in 1521.

• Charles V issues the Edict of Worms made Luther an outlaw in the empire. Protected by German rulers.

• Created Lutheranism, the first Protestant faith. Changed worship services to Bible readings, sermons, and song.

• When Charles V finally brought military forces to Germany, the Lutheran princes were well prepared for him.

• Peace of Augsburg ended the war and allowed the German states ruler to choose between Catholicism and Lutheranism.

SECTION 4

The Zwinglian Reformation

• A priest in Zurich, Switzerland who sought to have religious reforms take place.

• Removed all paintings, decorations, and relics from the churches.

• Services now consisted of scripture readings, prayer, and sermons.

• Was killed during battle.

John Calvin

• Frenchman who converted to Protestantism. • Believed in Justification and emphasized the all-

powerful nature of God.• Predestination- the belief that God has

determined in advance who will be saved (the elect) and who will be damned (the reprobate).

• By 16th century, Calvinism replaced Lutheranism as the most important form of Protestantism.

• Consistory had the right to punish people who deviated from the church’s teachings & moral.

The Reformation in England

• King Henry VIII wanted to divorce his wife, Catherine because she did not have a son. He needed a male heir.

• Wanted the Pope to annul (declare invalid) his marriage.

• Pope refused.

• Asked the church courts in England and was granted an annulment.

• Henry VIII married Anne Boleyn.• Parliament passes Act of Supremacy of

1534 which separated the Church of England from the pope in Rome. King was now head of the church.

• Sold the churches lands and closed monasteries.

• Similar beliefs as those of the Catholic Church.

• Died and his son, Edward VI took over.• Church headed in the direction of

Protestantism.

• People opposed this direction.

• Edward dies and Mary takes the throne.

• Mary was Catholic and wanted to restore England to Roman Catholicism.

• “Bloody Mary” killed 300 Protestants, which angered England and pushed them more in the direction of Protestantism.

The Anabaptists

• People who believed that the state should not play an important role in the church.

• Based their beliefs and practices on the accounts of the early Christian Church and the New Testament.

• Believed in complete separation of the church and state. Government should be kept out of religion.

The Catholic Reformation• Three factors led to a reformation of the Catholic

Church are: 1. the Jesuits, 2. reform of the papacy, 3. the Council of Trent.

• The Jesuits took a vow of absolute obedience to the pope. Used education to spread their message.

• Blamed the popes for corruption and questionable financial dealings and in Italian political and military affairs.

• The Council of Trent decided that both faith and good works were necessary for salvation. Kept the 7 sacraments and forbid the selling of indulgences.