There’s the Renaissance we all know about: the cultural flourishing that produced iconic works of art, sculpture, and architecture. But underneath all the paint and marble is another side of the Renaissance with which we’re much less familiar.
Born from the devastation of the Black Death, the European Renaissance is undoubtedly one of the greatest periods of civilizational achievement in human history. Transformations that began with the economic explosion of the Italian city-states in the 14th century and lasted through the dawn of the early modern world in the 17th century are ones we still feel today.
While it’s easy to get caught up—and, rightfully so—in the art and architecture of the Renaissance, you cannot have a deep and genuine understanding of just how important these centuries were without digging beneath the surface, without investigating the period in terms of its politics, its spirituality, its philosophies, its economics, and its societies. It is just as vital to appreciate events and developments—such as the transition from feudal kingdoms to nation-states, the flourishing of international trade and exploration, epic wars and rebellions, revolutions of faith, and the rise (and fall) of different social status groups—as it is to understand the value of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling or Leonardo’s Mona Lisa.
Only by considering the European Renaissance from all sides, by disturbing traditional understandings, tipping sacred cows, and busting prevalent myths, can you truly grasp just how the Renaissance revolutionized the Western world.
In the epic 48-lecture course, Renaissance: The Transformation of the West, historian and award-winning professor Jennifer McNabb of Western Illinois University delivers a holistic, comprehensive view of the Renaissance that will show just how impressive and truly influential it was. Guiding you through centuries of exhilarating change in Europe with the knowledge, insights, and discernment of a master scholar, she offers new perspectives on familiar figures and events while focusing on often-unexplored or overlooked areas, such as the role of women in the Renaissance, the daily lives of the rural poor and urban elite, Renaissance home and family life, and the powerful connections between the Renaissance and the Reformation. Here, in one course, is an authoritative, wide-ranging, and multidisciplinary way to experience not just one of Europe’s Renaissance movements—but all of them.
A Truly Transformative Period
“The scope of our course is broad,” says Professor McNabb, “because I want us to see the Renaissance not as a single event but as a transformative process whose influences touched many areas of early modern life.”
Renaissance: The Transformation of the West is organized into several sections that make the expansiveness of this historical period all the more manageable.
Italian Renaissance: Examine how the Renaissance got its start in city-states, including Florence and Rome; how men like Machiavelli epitomized the “Renaissance Man;” and how the Medici and Renaissance popes maintained power.
Northern Renaissance: Go beyond Italy for an extended look at how the Renaissance played out in places like England and the Netherlands. Along the way, you’ll follow the lives and careers of people like Jan van Eyck, François Rabelais, and Thomas More.
Renaissance Life: What were Renaissance attitudes about shame and honor? Why were letters so important to so many Renaissance writers? How did women exert power? How did different societies construct their ideas about marriage?
Renaissance Faith: Central to these centuries were competing beliefs about the role of faith in political and daily life. Professor McNabb guides you through the Reformation, religious positions of theologians like Luther and Calvin, the Council of Trent, and more.
Renaissance Politics: Perhaps, the single most important transformation in Renaissance Europe occurred not in the humanities but in politics and economics. You’ll explore the roots of modern diplomacy, capitalism, warfare, and global rivalries.
New Stories, Insights, and Revelations
By observing the Renaissance less casually and more critically, Professor McNabb offers a wealth of facts, details, insights, and connections you can’t find in typical narratives that celebrate the centuries between medievalism and modernity.
Here are just a few of many exciting, intriguing, and illuminating things you’ll uncover in Renaissance: The Transformation of the West.
Renaissance palace schools believed in close, interpersonal relationships between teacher and student—a marked contrast to dispassionate medieval classrooms, where corporal punishment was liberally employed.
While no new concept of femininity emerged during the Renaissance, noble women were able to contribute to the culture of the period, beyond their own productions, through the process of patronage.
One of the most important musical innovations by the famed Renaissance composer, Guillaume Dufay, involved replacing medieval chants traditionally used for Mass with more dynamic and complex secular tunes.
A popular feast day celebrating St. John the Baptist (dated June 24) was grafted onto older, pre-Christian traditions celebrating the summer solstice and fertility—which is why it’s often referred to as Midsummer.
During the later centuries of the Renaissance, secular authorities as well as spiritual ones got involved in the witch-hunting business; rulers seeking to centralize state power saw witches as dangerous obstacles to their political goals.
The pastry casings we associate with Renaissance meals were simply a cooking vessel that contained the filling—as the crust buffered the pies’ valuable insides—and were often discarded at Renaissance tables, uneaten.
The Greatest Stories Ever Told
Professor McNabb’s extensive background in medieval and Renaissance history makes her the perfect guide through these exciting, tumultuous, and powerful centuries of Western civilization.
She brings to every lecture of Renaissance: The Transformation of the West the same celebrated teaching style that has earned her awards, including the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching from Western Illinois University. She’s also taken care to include maps, illustrations, portraits, paintings, literary excerpts, and other elements to help you organize the epic scope of this subject.
“I think we’re still living the Renaissance,” Professor McNabb says. “We’re Renaissance people. We’ve updated some aspects of the Renaissance past and infused it with our own contemporary concerns. And, such activities are in keeping with the Renaissance as well.”
Prepare for a deep dive into Europe’s great Renaissance movements, which Professor McNabb considers the greatest stories ever told—and ones well worth listening to, still.
Author(s): Jennifer McNabb
Series: The Great Courses
Publisher: The Teaching Company
Year: 2018-07
Language: English
Pages: 376
Professor Biography......Page 3
Course Scope......Page 7
Lecture 1—The Spirit of Renaissance......Page 9
A Shift in Thinking......Page 10
Lecture 2—Rebirth: Classical Values Made New......Page 13
The Plague......Page 14
Impact of the Plague......Page 15
Petrarch......Page 16
Petrarch’s Passion......Page 17
The Renaissance Spreads......Page 18
Humanists......Page 20
Lecture 3—The Medieval Roots of Italian Renaissance......Page 22
Charles VIII......Page 23
Italy......Page 24
Connection with Empire......Page 26
Classicism......Page 27
Plague in Italy......Page 28
Political Structures......Page 29
Interpretations of Crisis......Page 30
Lecture 4—The Rise of the Humanists......Page 32
Universities......Page 33
New Learning......Page 34
Men of Books......Page 35
The Humanist Curriculum......Page 36
Specific Schools......Page 37
Consequences......Page 38
Lecture 5—Renaissance Florence: Age of Gold......Page 40
Historical Context......Page 41
Changes......Page 42
Disasters......Page 44
Outside Challenges......Page 45
The Medici......Page 46
Lecture 6—Renaissance Venice: Most Serene Republic......Page 48
Shaping Venice......Page 49
Social Setup......Page 50
On the Mainland......Page 52
Comparisons to Florence......Page 54
Lecture 7—Renaissance Rome and the Papal States......Page 56
Cola di Rienzo......Page 57
Enhancement of Papal Authority......Page 58
Fall of Papal Authority......Page 59
The Western Schism......Page 61
Humanism in Rome......Page 62
Valla’s Work......Page 63
Lecture 8—Renaissance Italy’s Princes and Rivals......Page 66
Naples and Sicily......Page 67
Events in Milan and Florence......Page 68
Mantua and Urbino......Page 69
Lecture 9—Renaissance Man as Political Animal......Page 73
Leon Battista Alberti......Page 74
Baldassare Catiglione......Page 75
Niccolò Machiavelli......Page 76
Machiavelli’s Rise and Fall......Page 77
The Prince......Page 78
Lecture 10—Women and the Italian Renaissance Court......Page 80
Education......Page 81
Patronage......Page 83
Veronica Franco......Page 84
Lecture 11—Painting in the Early Italian Renaissance......Page 87
Masaccio......Page 88
The Medieval Art Scene......Page 89
Giotto......Page 90
Artistic Patronage......Page 91
Sandro Botticelli......Page 92
Lecture 12—Painting in the High Italian Renaissance......Page 94
Leonardo da Vinci......Page 95
The Role of Female Artists......Page 97
Specific Female Artists......Page 98
Lecture 13—Italian Sculpture, Architecture, and Music......Page 100
Multiple Renderings of David......Page 101
Architecture......Page 102
Music......Page 104
Lecture 14—Letters in the Italian Renaissance......Page 106
Francesco Datini......Page 107
Giorgio Vasari......Page 108
Francesco Guicciardini......Page 110
Lecture 15—Renaissance Statecraft: A New Path......Page 112
Northern Changes......Page 113
Cultural Changes and Preservation......Page 114
The Vikings......Page 115
Feudalism......Page 116
Noble Problems......Page 117
New Monarchies......Page 118
Lecture 16—European Renaissance Monarchies......Page 120
The Iberian Peninsula......Page 121
Isabella and Ferdinand......Page 122
England......Page 123
Civil Conflict in England......Page 124
France......Page 125
The Holy Roman Empire......Page 126
Lecture 17—The Birth of the Christian Renaissance......Page 128
Modern Devotion......Page 129
Erasmus......Page 130
Beyond Matters of Faith......Page 132
Lecture 18—Northern Renaissance Art and Music......Page 135
Matthias Grünewald......Page 136
People in Northern Art......Page 137
Music of the Northern Renaissance......Page 139
Lecture 19—Northern Renaissance Literature and Drama......Page 141
Vernacular Language and Christine de Pizan......Page 142
Don Quixote......Page 143
William Shakespeare......Page 144
Lecture 20—Did Women Have a Renaissance?......Page 147
Debates......Page 148
Italian Women......Page 149
Other Learned Women......Page 150
The 16th Century......Page 151
The Swetnam Controversy......Page 152
The Women’s Renaissance......Page 153
Lecture 21—Renaissance Life: The Rural Experience......Page 155
Rural Daily Life......Page 156
Two Renaissances......Page 157
Tenancy......Page 158
Inflation......Page 159
Peasant Reactions......Page 160
Poverty......Page 161
Lecture 22—Renaissance Life: The Urban Experience......Page 163
Urban Life......Page 164
Craft Guilds......Page 165
Confraternities......Page 166
Alehouses......Page 167
Lecture 23—Renaissance Life: Crime, Deviance, and Honor......Page 171
Insult and Innuendo......Page 172
Regulating Sexuality......Page 173
Same-Sex Relationships......Page 174
Punishment......Page 175
Lecture 24—Renaissance Life: Marriage......Page 178
Defining Marriages......Page 179
Constructing Marriage......Page 180
Unhappy Marriages......Page 182
Northwest Marriage Customs......Page 183
Mediterranean Marriage Customs......Page 185
Lecture 25—Renaissance Life: Home and Hearth......Page 187
Diet......Page 188
Food Customs......Page 189
Clothing......Page 190
Children......Page 191
Servants and Retainers......Page 192
Lecture 26—Renaissance Faith: Medieval Contexts......Page 194
A Dispute......Page 195
The Christian Church......Page 196
Tensions......Page 197
The Meaning of Faith......Page 198
Back to Boniface......Page 199
Lecture 27—Renaissance Faith: The Papacy......Page 201
Julius II......Page 202
Context......Page 203
The Roman Renaissance......Page 204
Sixtus’s Dark Side......Page 205
Later Popes......Page 206
Lecture 28—Renaissance Faith: Religious Uniformity......Page 208
Criticism......Page 209
New Policies......Page 210
Persecution of Jews......Page 211
Inquisitors......Page 212
Lecture 29—Luther: Breaking the Christian Consensus......Page 215
The Ninety-Five Theses......Page 216
A Massive Shift......Page 218
Luther’s Impact......Page 219
Lecture 30—Radical Reform in Renaissance Europe......Page 222
The Anabaptists......Page 223
Rebellions......Page 224
Peasant Radicalism......Page 225
After Rebellion......Page 226
Attempts at Reconciliation......Page 227
Luther’s Views......Page 228
Lecture 31—Renaissance and Reformation: Connections......Page 230
Huldrych Zwingli......Page 231
Affair of the Sausages......Page 232
Opposition......Page 233
A New Generation......Page 234
Scotland......Page 235
Knox in Power......Page 237
Lecture 32—English Reformation......Page 239
The Rule of Henry VIII......Page 240
Breaking with Rome......Page 243
The King’s Reformation......Page 244
Mary and Elizabeth......Page 245
Lecture 33—Catholic Reformations: The Road to Trent......Page 247
Gian Pietro Carafa......Page 248
Carafa as Pope......Page 250
The Council of Trent......Page 251
Reactions to Trent......Page 252
Lecture 34—Catholic Reformations: Spiritual Revival......Page 254
Monastic Communities......Page 255
Splits among the Franciscans......Page 256
Other Operations......Page 257
Women and Reform......Page 258
Attempts to Govern Women......Page 259
Lecture 35—Reformation Culture: Continuity and Change......Page 261
Religious Imagery......Page 262
Sounds and Words......Page 263
Art......Page 264
Lecture 36—Renaissance War and Peace: Diplomacy......Page 266
On Diplomats......Page 267
Diplomatic Gift Giving......Page 268
Lecture 37—The French Wars of Religion......Page 271
Would-Be Reformers......Page 272
Calvin......Page 273
After Henry II......Page 274
More Conflicts......Page 275
A Failed Match......Page 276
A Changing Script......Page 277
Lecture 38—The Dutch Revolt......Page 279
Alva in Command......Page 280
Fighting Begins......Page 281
Importance of the Low Countries......Page 282
After Alva......Page 283
Shifting Priorities......Page 284
Philip II’s Agenda......Page 285
Lecture 39—The Spanish Armada......Page 287
Two Monarchs......Page 288
The Spanish Armada......Page 290
Two Fleets......Page 291
August......Page 293
Aftermath......Page 295
Lecture 40—The Thirty Years’ War......Page 297
The Ottomans and France......Page 298
Charles Takes Action......Page 299
After the Peace......Page 300
The War Continues......Page 301
Later Phases of the War......Page 302
Lecture 41—Renaissance at Arms: The Military Revolution......Page 304
The Trace Italienne......Page 305
New Types of Warriors......Page 306
The 17th-Century Warrior......Page 307
Military Might......Page 309
Gunpowder......Page 310
Lecture 42—Renaissance and the Birth of Modern Science......Page 312
Medieval Views......Page 313
New Science......Page 314
Patronage......Page 315
Science in the World......Page 316
Lecture 43—Renaissance and Magic: Witchcraft......Page 318
Background on Malleus Maleficarum......Page 319
Trials......Page 320
Accusations on the Ground......Page 321
Lecture 44—Renaissance Encounters with Islam......Page 324
The Fall of Constantinople......Page 325
The Iberian Peninsula......Page 326
Suleiman I......Page 327
Philip II......Page 328
Lecture 45—Renaissance and Exploration: Motives......Page 330
Different Drives......Page 331
New Information and Technology......Page 332
China......Page 333
Lecture 46—Renaissance and Exploration: New Horizons......Page 335
Portuguese Exploration......Page 336
Columbus......Page 337
Spain in the New World......Page 338
Administering Empire......Page 339
Lecture 47—Early Modern Power: The New Global Rivalries......Page 341
The Dutch Republic......Page 342
England......Page 343
France......Page 344
Civil Unrest......Page 345
Lecture 48—Renaissance Legacy: Burckhardt and Beyond......Page 347
Jacob Burckhardt......Page 348
A Look Back......Page 349
Laws and Violence......Page 350
The Legacy of the Renaissance......Page 351
Bibliography......Page 353
Image Credits......Page 375
