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The earliest beginning of the Renaissance was '''the poet Dante''' Alighieri (A.D. 1265-1321), who is famous for writing ''Dante’s Inferno'' about Hell.  Another beginning date for the Renaissance is the fall of Constantinople to the Turks in 1453, when gunpowder and the cannon became essential parts of warfare.  This military defeat caused Greek (Byzantine) scholars to flee to Rome, bringing their scholarship with them.  They also brought their hostility to the Roman Catholic Church, causing changes to the religious order in Europe.

The earliest beginning of the Renaissance was '''the poet Dante''' Alighieri (A.D. 1265-1321), who is famous for writing ''Dante’s Inferno'' about Hell.  Another beginning date for the Renaissance is the fall of Constantinople to the Turks in 1453, when gunpowder and the cannon became essential parts of warfare.  This military defeat caused Greek (Byzantine) scholars to flee to Rome, bringing their scholarship with them.  They also brought their hostility to the Roman Catholic Church, causing changes to the religious order in Europe.

By the 1400s there were numerous great artists, and also advances in the existing Gothic Art.  '''By the year 1500 the High Renaissance was in full bloom'''.  But additional internal splits in Christianity were just around the corner. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther founded Protestantism when he nailed 95 “Theses” or issues to the door of his Wittenberg Church in what is now Germany.  A decade later, in 1529, the English King Henry VIII founded another Christian denomination for an entirely different reason:  he wanted the pope to approve his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, and when the pope refused, the king founded the Church of England and seized all the property of the Catholic Church in England.  Other Protestant faiths also began in the 1500s, and the Catholic Church responded with an ambitious reform effort of its own, often called the "Counter-Reformation".  

By the 1400s there were numerous wonderful artists, and also advances in the existing Gothic Art.  '''By the year 1500 the High Renaissance was in full bloom'''.  But additional internal splits in Christianity were just around the corner. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther founded Protestantism when he nailed 95 “Theses” or issues to the door of his Wittenberg Church in what is now Germany.  A decade later, in 1529, the English King Henry VIII founded another Christian denomination for an entirely different reason:  he wanted the pope to approve his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, and when the pope refused, the king founded the Church of England and seized all the property of the Catholic Church in England.  Other Protestant faiths also began in the 1500s, and the Catholic Church responded with an ambitious reform effort of its own, often called the "Counter-Reformation".  

But before we reach those events, let's first review the origin and development of the English language.  English does not come from Sanskrit or Hebrew or Greek or Latin. The Roman empire never conquered Germany, and English developed from Germanic people who settled in England.

But before we reach those events, let's first review the origin and development of the English language.  English does not come from Sanskrit or Hebrew or Greek or Latin. The Roman empire never conquered Germany, and English developed from Germanic people who settled in England.

The northern city-states of Italy were a perfect location for the Renaissance to occur, as Italian culture was built off of classical Greek and Roman civilization.  Recall that Italy and Germany did not form nation-states like France and England, and without a centralized government the Italian city-states were conducive to culture and intellectual renewal.  The Italian cities had become important and wealthy locations by selling and trading during the Crusades, and Muslim and Byzantine cultural influences came to Italy because of the Crusades.  The Italian city of Florence was home to wealthy families, such as the prominent Medici family, who were willing to finance artists.  Friendly competition among the different city-states brought out the best in people and created an environment in which initiative and creativity flourished.

The northern city-states of Italy were a perfect location for the Renaissance to occur, as Italian culture was built off of classical Greek and Roman civilization.  Recall that Italy and Germany did not form nation-states like France and England, and without a centralized government the Italian city-states were conducive to culture and intellectual renewal.  The Italian cities had become important and wealthy locations by selling and trading during the Crusades, and Muslim and Byzantine cultural influences came to Italy because of the Crusades.  The Italian city of Florence was home to wealthy families, such as the prominent Medici family, who were willing to finance artists.  Friendly competition among the different city-states brought out the best in people and created an environment in which initiative and creativity flourished.

'''The Medici family was the most prominent family in Italy, and in all of Europe, in the 1400s'''.  They acquired great wealth through banking, and used their wealth both to become powerful politicians and serve as patrons of great artists like Michelangelo, making him the first wealthy artist in history.  Cosimo de Medici (1389-1464) became ruler of Florence, and Lorenzo de Medici (“Lorenzo the Magnificent”) (1449-92) and his brother later governed Florence too.  '''Lorenzo’s second son became Pope Leo X, who was pope when the Reformation began'''.

'''The Medici family was the most prominent family in Italy, and in all of Europe, in the 1400s'''.  They acquired wealth through banking, and used their wealth both to become powerful politicians and to serve as patrons of phenomenal artists like Michelangelo, making him the first wealthy artist in history.  Cosimo de Medici (1389-1464) became ruler of Florence, and Lorenzo de Medici (“Lorenzo the Magnificent”) (1449-92) and his brother later governed Florence too.  '''Lorenzo’s second son became Pope Leo X, who was pope when the Reformation began'''.

Renaissance man Leon Battista Alberti declared, “Men can do all things if they will.”  This "can-do" spirit was typical of the Renaissance.  Alberti, himself a poet, scientist, painter, architect, and mathematician, was the one who first coined the idea of “rebirth” or “Renaissance”.

Renaissance man Leon Battista Alberti declared, “Men can do all things if they will.”  This "can-do" spirit was typical of the Renaissance.  Alberti, himself a poet, scientist, painter, architect, and mathematician, was the one who first coined the idea of “rebirth” or “Renaissance”.

The Renaissance was led by devout Christians who looked to Jesus for inspiration.  None of the leading Renaissance artists or writers were atheists or anti-Christians.  Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci were as Christian as anyone.  Their Christian faith was the wellspring for their creativity and intellectual achievements.

The Renaissance was led by devout Christians who looked to Jesus for inspiration.  None of the leading Renaissance artists or writers were atheists or anti-Christians.  Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci were as Christian as anyone.  Their Christian faith was the wellspring for their creativity and intellectual achievements.

Some historians attempt to de-emphasize the Christian foundation of the Renaissance, and claim that it shifted away from spirituality in order to focus material, earthly things ("humanism").  Renaissance artists did focus more on human beings, such as the Mona Lisa, rather than on the afterlife.  But the great artists and thinkers of the Renaissance were inspired by Christianity in performing their works, and the objects of their work were men and women created in the image of God.  There was nothing anti-religious about the Renaissance.  Perhaps 90% or more of its achievements were inspired by Christian beliefs and faith.

Some historians attempt to de-emphasize the Christian foundation of the Renaissance, and claim that it shifted away from spirituality in order to focus material, earthly things ("humanism").  Renaissance artists did focus more on human beings, such as the Mona Lisa, rather than on the afterlife.  But the extraordinary artists and thinkers of the Renaissance were inspired by Christianity in performing their works, and the objects of their work were men and women created in the image of God.  There was nothing anti-religious about the Renaissance.  Perhaps 90% or more of its achievements were inspired by Christian beliefs and faith.

Centuries after the Renaissance, secularism did creep in.  Secularism is defined as preoccupation with the material world at the expense of the heavenly one.  This caused people to become increasingly materialistic.  The teachings of the Bible lost importance to some.  Some people rejected religion altogether, becoming “secular humanists.”  But even later, the greatest scientific works were by devout Christians like Isaac Newton and Louis Pasteur.

Centuries after the Renaissance, secularism did creep in.  Secularism is defined as preoccupation with the material world at the expense of the heavenly one.  This caused people to become increasingly materialistic.  The teachings of the Bible lost importance to some.  Some people rejected religion altogether, becoming “secular humanists.”  But even later, the greatest scientific works were by devout Christians like Isaac Newton and Louis Pasteur.

The heart of the Renaissance was in Italy, but there were also great artists and thinkers in northern Europe (primarily the Netherlands and Germany) who built on the achievements of those in Italy.  Their achievements are known as the “Northern Renaissance.”

The heart of the Renaissance was in Italy, but there were also great artists and thinkers in northern Europe (primarily the Netherlands and Germany) who built on the achievements of those in Italy.  Their achievements are known as the “Northern Renaissance.”

'''The leading thinker of the Northern Renaissance was Desiderius Erasmus''' (1466-1536) in the Netherlands.  He wanted more spirituality in the Catholic Church and urged a greater emphasis on the teachings of Jesus.  He published a Greek edition of the New Testament, and was the first scholar to become famous through '''use of the printing press, developed in Germany in 1447''' during the Northern Renaissance.  Erasmus also wrote satires about the Church that led others to criticize it too, but Erasmus condemned Luther and strenuously opposed the Reformation.

'''The leading thinker of the Northern Renaissance was Desiderius Erasmus''' (1466-1536) in the Netherlands.  He wanted more spirituality in the Catholic Church and urged more of an emphasis on the teachings of Jesus.  He published a Greek edition of the New Testament, and was the first scholar to become famous through '''use of the printing press, developed in Germany in 1447''' during the Northern Renaissance.  Erasmus also wrote satires about the Church that led others to criticize it too, but Erasmus condemned Luther and strenuously opposed the Reformation.

'''Albrecht Durer''' (1471-1528) was the leading artist in Germany, copying the style of the High Renaissance that combined grace and extreme elegance, a style known as “Mannerism”.  Durer created famous woodcuts and copper engravings.

'''Albrecht Durer''' (1471-1528) was the leading artist in Germany, copying the style of the High Renaissance that combined grace and extreme elegance, a style known as “Mannerism”.  Durer created famous woodcuts and copper engravings.

'''The greatest painter in all of Northern Europe was the Dutch (Netherlands) artist Rembrandt''' (1606-1669), who drew many great portraits known for their depiction of light and shadow.  The increased number of portraits by Rembrandt and others demonstrated the new emphasis on individualism in the Renaissance.  Other great painters included '''Jan Van Eyck''' (1400s) and '''Pieter Bruegel''' (mid-1500s), both of Flanders (a region from parts of the Netherlands, Belgium and France today).

'''The greatest painter in all of Northern Europe was the Dutch (Netherlands) artist Rembrandt''' (1606-1669), who drew many marvelous portraits known for their depiction of light and shadow.  The increased number of portraits by Rembrandt and others demonstrated the new emphasis on individualism in the Renaissance.  Other superb painters included '''Jan Van Eyck''' (1400s) and '''Pieter Bruegel''' (mid-1500s), both of Flanders (a region from parts of the Netherlands, Belgium and France today).

In England, '''William Shakespeare (1564-1616) became the greatest playwright in the history of the world''', and Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) was a leading English statesman, writer and philosopher, who rose to become Lord Chancellor (1618) until he was impeached in 1621 for accepting bribes.

In England, '''William Shakespeare (1564-1616) became the greatest playwright in the history of the world''', and Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) was a leading English statesman, writer and philosopher, who rose to become Lord Chancellor (1618) until he was impeached in 1621 for accepting bribes.