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This movement that started in Italy caused an explosion of creativity in art,
writing, and thought that lasted approximately from 1300 to 1600. Historians call
this period the Renaissance . The term means rebirth, and in
this context, it refers to a revival of art and learning.The bubonic plague struck these cities hard, killing up to 60
percent of the population. This brought economic changes. Because there were
fewer laborers, survivors could demand higher wages.the city-state of Florence had a republican form of government. But during the
Renaissance, Florence came under the rule of one powerful banking family, the Medici. The
Medici family bank had branch offices throughout Italy and in the major cities of
Europe.he won control of Florence’s government.
He did not seek political office for himself, but influenced
members of the ruling council by giving them loans. For 30
years, he was dictator of Florence.Cosimo de Medici died in 1464,Lorenzo de Medici, came
to powerChristian scholars in Constantinople fled to
Rome with Greek manuscripts when
the Turks conquered ConstantinopleBaldassare Castiglione wrote a book called The
Courtier that taught how to become such a person.They were about a mysterious woman
named Laura, who was his ideal. (Little is known
of Laura except that she died of the plagueThe Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli, also
examines the imperfect conduct of human
beings. It does so by taking the form of a political guidebook.Yet, some of them had great influence.
Vittoria Colonna (1492–1547) was born of a
noble family.she married the Marquis of Pescara. He spent most
of his life away from home on military campaigns.Away at the Battle of Ravenna in 1512, she wrote to him:Renaissance ideas had spread to Northern Europe—especially
England, France, Germany, and Flandersthe population of northern Europe, which had declined due to bubonic
plague, was beginning to grow again.cities grew rapidly. Urban merchants became wealthy enough to sponsor artists.French king claimed the throne of Naples in southern Italy and launched
an invasion through northern Italy.the most famous person to do this was the
Germanartist Albrecht Dürer. He traveled to Italy to studyFlemish painting reached its peakErasmus wrote his most famous work, The
Praise of Folly. This book poked fun at greedy
merchants, heartsick lovers, quarrelsome
scholars, and pompous priests. Erasmus
believed in a Christianity of the heart, not one
of ceremonies or rules. He thought that in order
to improve society, all people should
study the Bible.Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford upon-Avon, a small town about
90 miles northwest of London.
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