Meaning and Characteristics of Italian Renaissance UNIT 1

Individualism

"Men can do all things if they will" emphasis on human dignity and individual potentiality. The Universal person.

Third Estate: peasants and townspeople

85-90% of the population. We're usually noble laborers. Townspeople were split into three categories: patricians, petty burghers, and property less workers. Number 1 concern is survival. Weren't participants of the Renaissance.

Marriage

Arranged marriages to strengthen business or family ties. Had to have a legal binding marriage contract. Used dowry to show status.

Slavery in the Renaissance

Black Death lost many workers and slavery was needed. We're used as skilled workers, nursemaids, playmates, and house workers. Slavery declined after Constantinople was conquered. In an era in which they value individual, slavery still exists.

Age of recovery

Black Death, political disorder, economic recession

Gave meaning to the Renaissance

Burckhardt's The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy. Over emphasized individualism, revival of antiquity, and secularism. He defines the Renaissance.

Merchants

Burghers

Venetian Flanders Fleet

Came to the trade fairs in Northern Europe connecting Northern Europe to Constantinople. Northern Europe was now trading with the rest of the known world.

Father-Husband role

Center of family and gave family it's name. Responsible for all legal matters and finances. Father emancipated children's adulthood.

Three estates

Clergy, Nobility, and the 3rd Estate

Property less workers

Earned pitiful wages or had No job at all. 30-40% of population in cities. Rich Italians looked down on them. The view of the poor drastically changed. During medieval era, poor were seen as children from god, christian view. During modern era, poor were seen as worthless and lazy and should be kicked out of the city.

Family in Renaissance

Extended household of parents, children, servants, and grandparents. Family names held status.

Dowry

Gift given with the wife to the husband to show if family is moving up or down in status. The dowry was basically like a bribe. If the family had a bad dowry, then they couldn't marry off their daughter.

Meaning of Renaissance

Means rebirth, rebirth of antiquity and Greco-Roman culture. Rebirth of the modern world. The idea of adding glory to the time period before the church was established. Rejecting the medieval period.

Patricians

Most wealthy, usually in trade or banking. Controlled towns and very important townspeople.

Prostitution

Required to wear a traditional garb of gloves on her hands and a bell on her head.

Nobility

Second most important estate. 2-3% of the population. Managed to dominate society by being military leaders and advisers. ex. Knights, Dukes, Lords. Their birth makes them Nobles.

Petty burghers

Shopkeepers, artisans, guild masters and were largely concerned in providing goods and services

New standards of nobles

Should have good character, grace, talents, and Noble birth. Need to be physically fit and be part of the military. Should also have a classical education and have good achievements. Being a well-rounded person.

New industries

Silk, glassware, printing, mining, metallurgy. Entrepreneurs started to work in mining and printing businesses.

Sexual Norms

Since husband and wife ages were very apart, they usually had outlets outside of their marriage. Men were allowed to, but not women. The wives would be executed for it.

Clergy

Spiritual leaders who believed people should be brought to spiritual ends. High ranking church officials. 1% of the population. Christendom identified as the most important group. ex. Bishops. To be a member of clergy, probably 2nd born son of nobleman.

Castiglione's Book

The Courtier, became "handbook" for nobles and described the tributes of a perfect noble. Castiglione is redefining the good attributes of a Noble.

Expansion of trade

There was a greater amount of infrastructure being developed by Hansa and venetian flanders fleet.

Medici Family, House of Medici Bank.

Used to be in textile business but created first banking system by giving out loans to entrepreneurs to establish new industries. Medici expected loaned money out to get the money back with interest.

Characteristics of Renaissance

Very urban society, born in the Italian city states like Florence and Venice, age of recovery, population increase, individualism, and secularism. Renaissance occurred mainly in the wealthy upper classes. Doesn't occur in the rural areas.

Childbirth

Was a fearful occasion, and often deadly. 10% of mothers died at childbirth. Children often died as well. Only 50% of children survived until 20 years old.

Wives and children

Wife managed household and bore children. Upper class wives gave birth to more children. women were seen as valueless. Were a minority group of people. Women were left behind during the Renaissance.

Recovered Italian industry

Woolen and Silk industries were able to revive.

Hansa League

Worked to make Northern Europe more valuable by creating trade fairs. Attracted merchants from Italy to expand the trade of Northern Europe.

Secularism

take religious law out of society. "Men can do all things through christ" was replaced by "Men can do all things if they will."