NORTHERN RENAISSANCE

Politics and the State

More of a blend of old and new - less classical

Much more religious than in Italy

Studied Greek and Hebrew texts for a greater understanding of Christianity

Students from England, Holland, France, and Germany went to Italy for the ‘new learning’

Northern humanists interpreted Italian ideas in terms of their own traditions.

They were more religious

They stressed the Bible and early Christian themes

They developed an ethical way of life - provided guidance on personal behavior

Classical and Christian cultures should be combined

They had a profound faith in the human intellect

People could be improved through education

Northern (Christian) Humanists

In Germany:

Western and southern Germany were economically advanced

14th century - mystics like Thomas a Kempis (The Imitation of Christ) (1427) believed the human soul could communicate with God

They did not rebel against the Church but wanted a deeper religion

Around 1450 Gutenberg invented printing with movable type

In France

Jacques Lefevre d’Etaples applied humanism to religion

Believed in education

Wrote Gargantua and Pantagruel

Rabelais was secular

In England

John Colet

Thomas More was trained as a lawyer at the Inns of Court

Deeply interested in the classics and greatest English humanist

Entered government under Henry VIII

Wrote Utopia (1516) where all children receive a humanist education.

More believed private property caused vices and civil disorder

Lost his life to maintain his convictions

Edmund Spenser

Christopher Marlowe

Shakespeare

Low Countries

Erasmus (1466-1536) "Prince of the humanists" had a deep appreciation for the classics

Most well-respected man in Europe

Influenced by John Colet in England

Wrote The Education of a Christian Prince and The Praise of Folly (1512)

Two main themes:

Education is the means to reform

‘The philosophy of Christ’ Christianity is an inner feeling

Artists

Jan van Eyck

Hubert van Eyck

Bosch

Brueghal

Dűrer

Holbein the Younger

‘new monarchs’

A new breed of leaders - ruthless, preferred security to love

Outside of Italy they were actively building states

They used the monarchy to guarantee law and order

The despots of Italy, Henry VII of England, Louis XI of France, Ferdinand of Aragon

All Machiavellian (but could not have read The Prince)

invested kingship with strong authority and national purpose

Monarchy linked all classes of society within a boundary

Insisted on respect and loyalty

Ruthless oppressed rebellions and opposition

Loved the business of kingship

Tended to rely on the middle-class - new bourgeoisie

FRANCE

Charles VII revived the monarchy

expelled the English

increased the influence of the middle class

strengthened finances through taxes like salt (gabelle) and land (taille)

created first permanent royal army

by the Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges (1438) asserted supremacy over the papacy

crown could appoint bishops

His son, Louis XI (Valois) was a Renaissance prince

Promoted industry
improved the army
signed international treaties

The Estates General met only once during his reign

1516 Francis I signed the Concordat of Bologna which rescinded the Pragmatic Sanction - king could appoint bishops

ENGLAND

Decimated by the Black Death

The Tudors (1485-1603) won War of the Roses

They passed laws against nobles having standing armies

The monarch did not depend on government for money so much more independent

Royal Council (Star Chamber) was the center of authority

The Royal Council handled the king’s business including arranging marriages.

Aristocratic threats were dealt with by the Star Chamber

Star Chamber used Roman Law and methods to enforce the law

accused people were not entitled to see the evidence against them

sessions were in secret

torture was often used

there were no juries

The Tudors promoted peace and order

Henry VII (1485) rebuilt the monarchy

Ruled through unpaid officials

he encouraged trade

built up the merchant fleet

crushed an invasion from Ireland

secured peace with Scotland (his daughter Margaret married the Scottish king)

SPAIN

Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon married (1469) and united the regions

They ruled through ‘hermandades’

Restructured the royal council - excluded the rich and powerful

The church was the linchpin of the reform.

Alliance with the Spanish pope Alexander VI Spanish monarchs gained great power and a national church

reconquista (1492) - expulsion of the Jews and Moors from Spain
lasted over 100 years

Conversos- Jews that converted

Moriscos - Christians of Moorish background

Marranos - Christians of Jewish background

inquisition - the ruthless court that decided if conversos were telling the truth
later used against the Protestants

Ferdinand and Isabella expelling all Jews from Spain had major economic consequences

Absolute religious orthodoxy and pure blood were the foundation of Spain

Ferdinand and Isabella’s daughter Joanna married Philip. Their son was Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.

Charles V - the ‘Universal Monarch’

Germany

Part of the Holy Roman Empire

Local lords recognized the supremacy of the Emperor, who was elected by 7 Electors

1452 Archduke of Austria (Habsburg) was elected Emperor Maximilian I (1493-1519)

He married the heiress of the Duke of Burgundy

Their son, Philip married Joanna, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella

Their son was Charles V

Politics

The Prince - Machiavelli

For Machiavelli the test was a ‘good’ government was an effective government.

Machiavelli’s work rests on two principles:

i. Permanent social order
ii. reflecting God’s will is impossible

Politics should be considered a science.

Johann Gutenberg changed the course of history with the movable print. Printing made propaganda possible and forced people into groups i.e. church and state or Crown and nobility.

Printing stimulated literacy of lay people.

Women

The status of upper-class women declined

Women generally had less power than in the Middle Ages

Renaissance humanism represented an educational advance for a small minority.

Women had to choose marriage or education

Education brought jealousy and envy

Girls in the upper-class were taught how to dance, paint, and play music - they were decorative

Love and sex also worsened during the Renaissance

Women belonged at home

Educational opportunities were severely limited
Literary and art works had no effect on ordinary women

Women were a sign of wealth.