The Renaissance, key period in European history

The Renaissance was a key period in European history from the 14th to the 17th century, characterized by its revival of European culture, economy, art, and politics. It began in the city-states of northern Italy in the 14th century and then spread throughout Europe over the next two centuries. The Renaissance was marked by its advances in shipbuilding, increased leisure time to patronize art and appreciate other material pleasures for wealthier people, and the reinstatement of merchant oligarchies. However, the leading intellectual component of the Renaissance is humanism. Founded by Francesco Petrarch, a Florentine poet, and scholar who traveled Europe to find classical Latin manuscripts, humanism was an intellectual and cultural movement emphasizing individualism, and a new human-centered outlook. Humanists believed that the study of the humanities, particularly the classical works of Greece and Rome, could help individuals reach their full potential, and contribute to society. People that were a part of this movement were referred to as humanists. Renaissance humanism impacted Europe’s intellectual developments through education, humanist philosophy, and politics, and it also impacted artistic developments through new styles of art, as well as patronage and power.

Indeed, the humanist movement had a profound impact on Europe’s intellectual development from 1450 to 1550. One of the most significant impacts it had was on education. Francesco Petrarch proposed a renewal of the study of the humanities and classical Latin to return to the era of Ancient Rome, as Petrarch believed that the writers at that time had reached a level of perfection. He explains his admiration for ancient Roman writers like Livvy in a letter he wrote called Letter to Livy (1350). He wanted authors of the Renaissance to follow these ancient models as he believed they contained important knowledge and insights about the human experience, and that the study of these texts would help develop people’s critical thinking. As a result, he and many other humanists traveled through Europe and worked to rediscover classical texts. This renewed interest in the works of Ancient Rome authors and Latin classics was called studia humanitates or “liberal arts”. This program was centered around the study of classical languages, literature, history, and philosophy, with a substantial focus on the human experience. This devised program was made for the public good, and not only for religious purposes, and it wanted to put educated people in the spotlight. It became the basis for education if you wanted to be successful. Humanist schools start to open in Italian cities, but also in France, Germany, and England, however, only boys were allowed in these schools. The fact that these academies were only open to boys made it very difficult for girls to succeed. Nonetheless, some succeeded as they came from wealthier families and therefore had access to tutors, and others were self-taught. Baldassare Castiglione’s The Courtier had a large influence on education at the time as it became a model template and promoted the idea of the "liberal arts" as the foundation of a well-rounded education. His book encouraged the qualities that an educated man should have, he should be knowledgeable in a wide range of subjects should train his spiritual and physical capabilities, and develop his critical thinking. Humanism also had a significant impact on political thought during the Renaissance and beyond. Although there was still an ongoing debate about what was the best form of government, some claimed republicanism, and others heeded philosopher-kings, both sides agreed on the fact that educated men

should be set forth and active in the political affairs of the city. This political theory, called “civic humanism”, sought to promote the idea of civic duty, that individuals had a responsibility to contribute to the well-being of their communities. This approach offered a vision of the ideal political community and the ideal citizen, by emphasizing civic virtue and the importance of education. The most famous civic humanist and political theorist of his era were Niccolo Machiavelli. His most major work is “The Prince”, in which he argued that rulers should be willing to use any means necessary to maintain their power and that the ends justify the means. He also compared Ancient Roman rulers to present rulers, and argued that a ruler should be focused on preserving order and security, but without having the populace turn against him. He used classical and contemporary rulers to reinforce this ideology, like Cesare Borgia, a powerful political figure known for his ruthlessness and his willingness to use any means necessary to achieve his goals, including military force, and hired Leonardo da Vinci to murder his political enemies. Therefore, Machiavelli believed that a ruler should be evaluated on the security, order, and safety he provides his people with. European humanists also provided a new point of view on Christianity. Northern humanists wanted to reform the Church, as they thought it was too materially obsessed. They sought to integrate the values of classical humanism with the

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