Changes

In this lecture we recount how the Middle Ages ended:  with the Renaissance and the Reformation.  The Renaissance lasted from the 1300s to the 1600s, and it brought the Middle Ages to a close.   

In this lecture we recount how the Middle Ages ended:  with the Renaissance and the Reformation.  The Renaissance lasted from the 1300s to the 1600s, and it brought the Middle Ages to a close.   

“Renaissance” is a French word for “rebirth”.  This rebirth was in renewed respect for artistic and intellectual progress not seen since classical Greece and Rome.  The Merriam-Webster online dictionary<ref>http://www.m-w.com</ref> describes “Renaissance” as follows:  “the transitional movement in Europe between medieval and modern times beginning in the 14th century in Italy, lasting into the 17th century,” which included “a flowering of the arts and literature” and “the beginnings of modern science.”

“Renaissance” is a French word for “rebirth”.  This rebirth was in renewed respect for artistic and intellectual progress not seen since classical Greece and Rome.  The Merriam-Webster online dictionary describes “Renaissance” as follows:  “the transitional movement in Europe between medieval and modern times beginning in the 14th century in Italy, lasting into the 17th century,” which included “a flowering of the arts and literature” and “the beginnings of modern science.”<ref>http://www.m-w.com</ref>

   

   

The “Middle Ages” represent the “middle” between the great achievements of the ancient world and the Renaissance.  A poet named Petrach (1304-1374), discussed below, described the early Middle Ages as “Dark Ages” of social decay.  The “rebirth” or “revival” in the Renaissance was the rediscovery of the Roman and Greek cultures, as enhanced by Christianity.  The “new learning” was a new recognition of the ideas discovered and developed in the past in art, science and other fields of inquiry.

The “Middle Ages” represent the “middle” between the great achievements of the ancient world and the Renaissance.  A poet named Petrach (1304-1374), discussed below, described the early Middle Ages as “Dark Ages” of social decay.  The “rebirth” or “revival” in the Renaissance was the rediscovery of the Roman and Greek cultures, as enhanced by Christianity.  The “new learning” was a new recognition of the ideas discovered and developed in the past in art, science and other fields of inquiry.

But a schism in Christianity in Europe was just around the corner.  In 1505, a law student named Martin Luther was caught outside in the middle of a thunderstorm.  A bolt of lightning struck the ground near him.  Terrified, he cried out for protection and promised to become a monk if he survived the storm.  He did survive, and then left law school to join an Augustinian monastery.

But a schism in Christianity in Europe was just around the corner.  In 1505, a law student named Martin Luther was caught outside in the middle of a thunderstorm.  A bolt of lightning struck the ground near him.  Terrified, he cried out for protection and promised to become a monk if he survived the storm.  He did survive, and then left law school to join an Augustinian monastery.

Martin Luther founded Protestantism in Europe on October 31, 1517, when he nailed 95 “Theses” or issues to the door of his Wittenberg Church in what is now Germany.  A decade later, in 1529, 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 property of the Catholic Church in England.  Other Protestant faiths also began in the 1500s, and the Catholic Church responded with an internal reformation of its own, often called the counter-reformation.  We end this lecture with a discussion of Asia in the Middle Ages, which was unaffected by both the Renaissance and the Reformation.  Asia had issues of its own.

Martin Luther founded Protestantism in Europe on October 31, 1517, when he nailed 95 “Theses” or issues to the door of his Wittenberg Church in what is now Germany.  A decade later, in 1529, 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 internal reformation of its own, often called the counter-reformation.  

But before we discuss the Renaissance and the weighty issues of the Reformation, this is the perfect time to pause for a moment and review the origin and development of the English language.  English is a relatively young language. It does not come from Sanskrit or Hebrew or Greek or Latin. Recall that the Roman empire could never conquer the region of present-day Germany, and English is a Germanic Language within the Indo-European category of languages.  Let's learn something about the history of the English language.

But before we discuss the Renaissance and the weighty issues of the Reformation, this is the perfect time to pause for a moment and review the origin and development of the English language.  English is a relatively young language. It does not come from Sanskrit or Hebrew or Greek or Latin. Recall that the Roman empire could never conquer the region of present-day Germany, and English is a Germanic Language within the Indo-European category of languages.  Let's learn something about the history of the English language.

By the end of this famous speech Marc Antony had turned the crowd in favor of Caesar and against his murderer, Brutus.

By the end of this famous speech Marc Antony had turned the crowd in favor of Caesar and against his murderer, Brutus.

==Renaissance==

==Renaissance==

===Writers===

===Writers===

Dante (1265-1321) was an early Renaissance poet, born to a prominent family in Florence.  (The Italian town of Florence was considered the cradle of the Renaissance by 1425, but Venice and Rome became just as successful by the early 1500s.)  Dante wrote in the Italian language of the time (the local language, in this case Italian, is known as "the vernacular,") rather than in ancient Latin.  Dante described the path of a soul to salvation in ''The Divine Comedy'', in which Dante travels through Hell (Inferno), Purgatory (Purgatorio), and Paradise (Paradiso).  In this journey, Dante is first guided by the Roman epic poet Virgil, and then he is later guided by a girl he loved as a youth, named Beatrice, who had tragically died in real life.  The account of Hell is known as ''Dante’s Inferno'', and it is frightful.  Throughout history Hell was emphasized far more than it is today; almost no one mentions Hell in Church anymore now, and people may be worse off from the silence.

'''Dante (1265-1321) was an early Renaissance poet, born to a prominent family in Florence'''.  (The Italian town of Florence was considered the cradle of the Renaissance by 1425, but Venice and Rome became just as successful by the early 1500s.)  Dante wrote in the Italian language of the time (the local language, in this case Italian, is known as "the vernacular,") rather than in ancient Latin.  Dante described the path of a soul to salvation in ''The Divine Comedy'', in which Dante travels through Hell (Inferno), Purgatory (Purgatorio), and Paradise (Paradiso).  In this journey, Dante is first guided by the Roman epic poet Virgil, and then he is later guided by a girl he loved as a youth, named Beatrice, who had tragically died in real life.  The account of Hell is known as ''Dante’s Inferno'', and it is frightful.  Throughout history Hell was emphasized far more than it is today; almost no one mentions Hell in Church anymore now, and people may be worse off from the silence.

Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) wrote ''The Prince'', which is an account of government by which the "end justifies the means" (in other words, a ruler can use any means to gain power and rule his state).  Even today the term "Machiavellian" is used to criticize a politician who spends all his time and effort on getting ahead and manipulating other people for his own gain.  A "Machiavellian" politician is a cunning person who will say or do anything if he thinks it brings him political benefit.  For centuries the reputation of Machiavelli was that he had been inspired by the devil.  Like other Renaissance artists and thinkers, Machiavelli lived in Florence.

'''Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) wrote ''The Prince'', which is an account of government by which the "end justifies the means" (in other words, a ruler can use any means to gain power and rule his state)'''.  Even today the term "Machiavellian" is used to criticize a politician who spends all his time and effort on getting ahead and manipulating other people for his own gain.  A "Machiavellian" politician is a cunning person who will say or do anything if he thinks it brings him political benefit.  For centuries the reputation of Machiavelli was that he had been inspired by the devil.  Like other Renaissance artists and thinkers, Machiavelli lived in Florence.

Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374) was another poet of Florence, who is described by historians as a humanist.  In fact, he was a devout Christian who saw no conflict between religious faith and fully developing man’s potential.  He wrote in Latin rather than the Italian vernacular and, being a colorful person, he even wrote a few letters to Virgil and Cicero of Ancient Rome (who of course did not respond!).  Petrarch also wrote romantic poems about a woman named “Laura” based on merely seeing her once in church.  Later, humanists cited Petrarch's works to try to find early support for humanism.

Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374) was another poet of Florence, a devout Christian who saw no conflict between religious faith and fully developing man’s potential.  He wrote in Latin rather than the Italian vernacular and, being a colorful person, he even wrote a few letters to Virgil and Cicero of Ancient Rome (who of course did not respond!).  Petrarch also wrote romantic poems about a woman named “Laura” based on merely seeing her once in church.

===The Philosophy of the Renaissance===

===The Philosophy of the Renaissance===