Sect. 3 & 4 Reformation and the Counter-Reformation

Ch. 5

Sect. 1 & 2 Renaissance

Sect. 3 & 4 Reformation and the Counter-Reformation

Three Characteristics of the Renaissance

1.  It was urban (city states were the centers.)

2.  It was an age of recovery from plague, political instability, and a decline in Church power; it was also a rebirth of interest in ancient Mediterranean culture.

3.  It was a new view of human capacity. Human worth and achievements became a focus of thought and the well-rounded individual (Leonardo da Vinci) became the ideal of the Renaissance.

Three Important City States

1.  Milan- trade, tax system, wealth

2.  Venice- trade, link between Asia and western Europe, wealth

3.  Florence- merchants, controlled by the Medici family, initially known for cloth manufacturing, later as the center of art and culture.

Three Estates

1.  Clergy

2.  Nobles

3.  Townspeople & Peasants

The nobility was rising in importance once again. Although they were only 2-3% of the pop., they dominated the political posts and served as advisors to the king.

Three Characteristics of the Renaissance Family

1.  Marriages were arranged, often to strengthen business or family ties. These arrangements could be made when the children were two or three years old.

2.  The marriage contract included a dowry, the sum of money given by the wife’s family upon marriage.

3.  The father’s authority over his children was absolute until he died or formally freed his children. (Like a divorce-Michelangelo!) This happened anywhere from the teens to the forties.

The Renaissance in Italy (~1375-1527)

·  Renaissance – a ‘rebirth’ of culture during the 14th-16th centuries that focused on the accomplishments of earlier centuries (focus on early Greek and Roman culture.)

·  centered in Italian city-states – helped by wealth, trade and location (could draw on both Roman heritage and as crossroads from East/West)

·  first appeared in Florence, led by the Medici family

·  city-states engaged in constant balance of power, kept them roughly equal, but prevented unification of Italy until 1870 (power of Italy was never that of other nation-states)

·  certainly possessed little political freedom, various forms of oligarchies and despots

Humanism

·  humanism – a liberal arts program of study that embraced rhetoric, poetry, politics, and moral philosophy. It emphasizes human beings, their achievements and capabilities (so not completely centered on the divine), also emphasized pure scholarship. Focus on Latin. Emphasized life of solitude, rejected family life. Civic activity was stressed.

·  part of this idea is that knowledge of the good, and the ability to move others to desire it, will lead to good (this is pure Aristotle)

Francesco Petrarch

·  “father of humanism.” One of the first to label the glories of the ancients as the Golden Age and the new age as a Rebirth.

Baldassare Castiglione’s The Book of the Courtier (1528)

·  emphasizes the ideal gentlemen (arts, athletics, academics, gracious behavior) nobles must have character, grace and talent. Emphasis on mind, body and humility in achievements.

Women

·  some advancement since given some education, but purpose was to grace her husband’s home

·  a slight exception is Christine de Pisan’s The Treasure of the City of Ladies – the first feminist treatise?

Humanist teaching

·  was not completely secular

o  secularism – basic concern for material world instead of eternal

o  Renaissance world became increasingly secular as wealth and trade increased

o  even monks begin practicing usury – giving out loans for interest

o  more leisure time left more options for pleasure

o  humanist Lorenzo Valla in On Pleasure defends its pursuit

- ********the Church also pursued the beautification of Rome (as well as occasional personal pleasures of wealth)

Renaissance Art

·  In early Renaissance, movement is centered in Florence and other cities, in high Renaissance it has moved to Rome

·  Art becomes increasingly realistic and human-centered

·  Part of the change is new paints, as well as new techniques – shading (chiaroscuro) and linear perspective

·  Some important artists (the Ninja Turtles)

-  Donatello – early sculptor

-  Michaelangelo – sculptor, painter and architect David, Sistine Chapel , father of mannerism

-  Raphael – painter School of Athens

- Leonardo da Vinci – “Renaissance Man” (ie. painter, inventor, etc…) Last Supper , Mona Lisa

Art and power

·  patronage system allowed artists to prosper, but also allowed rich families to glorify themselves and their accomplishments

·  the great artists usually worked on commission for a powerful prince

·  while great work was produced, it was almost exclusively for a small elite

Slavery in the Renaissance

·  Slavery existed, as it had throughout Western history

·  Many original slaves were Slavs, but as demand grew, so did areas of supply

·  Venice concentrated on Slavic trade, Portuguese on the African trade

·  Many of the slaves are POWs

·  Black slaves were a sign of social status for a time

Renaissance Culture

·  Culture and sexuality

·  Castiglione represented view at time, separating love and sexuality, for men this meant indulgence outside marriage, for women it did not

·  Evidence lies in the fact that rape was viewed as an assault on another man’s property

·  Homosexuality quite common during the era

Italy’s Political Decline: The French invasions

·  Charles VIII’s march through Italy

·  Pope Alexander VI and the Borgia family “the evil pope”

·  Pope Julius II “the warrior pope”

Niccolo Machiavelli

·  Machiavelli’s The Prince (1513)

·  Advice on how a ruler should acquire and hold on to power, as a humanist he concludes that human nature is selfish and therefore may need to be manipulated by their rulers

·  Ruler must pay attention to reality, not the ideal– morality may have no place in ruling others

·  This is true even in pursuing the common good, but survival of the state is paramount

·  One of the most influential pieces of writing on political power in the Western world.

·  Forget Christian principles, morality has no place in government.

·  Belief that men are liars, greedy, and ungrateful. Therefore, a leader should act on behalf of the state, not on behalf of the citizens.

·  Profoundly important to the thinking of many kings and other political leaders.

·  - “better to be feared than loved”

·  - “the ends justify the means”

·  Machiavelli was inspired by Italy’s inability to unite or protect itself from foreign invasion

§  Internal balance of power can be blamed for this

Revival of monarchy in northern Europe

·  As the power of the Church and the nobility declined, the increasingly powerful towns began to ally with the king

·  Assemblies like the Spanish Cortes and French Estates General were ignored

·  Monarchies established their own tax bases, military power and national laws

·  Taxes were on needed items (like salt), sales taxes, import taxes, etc…

The Northern Renaissance

·  Strangely, the area north of the Alps viewed humanism with a more Christian emphasis

·  But they were also more inclusive of movements and ideas other than those of the very wealthy

The printing press

·  cheap paper and moveable type lead to release of Gutenberg Bible in 1454

·  effects: stimulated literacy (and pornography), created more national identity, allowed for greater exchange of ideas, allowed for propaganda (thus yielding political and social change)

Ch. 5 Section 3

The Age of Reformation

*The major goal of humanism in northern Europe was to reform Christendom.

*Martin Luther’s religious reforms led to the emergence of Protestantism.

A. Society and Religion

1. The Reformation

a. A time of challenge to the Catholic Church that resulted in the splintering of the Christian faith

2. Social and Political Conflict

a. Many people and towns in the German-speaking areas had seen a loss of local control, so they were ready to latch on to a new movement

i. peasants, upset with noble control, were willing to go along

b. Others joined due to self-interest, such as printers

3. Popular movements and criticism of the Church

a. the church has been badly damaged by the Babylonian Captivity and the Great Schism

b. the laity (non-clergy or lay people) are demanding more control

i. this includes preaching and text in the vernacular

c. three main charges are leveled against the clergy

i. immorality

· celibacy not enforced, extravagance, drunkenness and gambling common

· the higher clergy are some of biggest offenders, from the huge sums spent on the Vatican to those who publicly acknowledged their mistresses and children

ii. ignorance

· standards for priests were very low, parish priests were often less educated than laypeople and many were illiterate

iii. various forms of corruption

· pluralism – holding more than one office

· led to absenteeism, many priests rarely visited their assigned benefices

· also the benefice system (or simony)– where Church offices are sold to the highest bidders

· the sale of indulgences – a remission of eternal penalty for confessed sins and a temporal penalty

-Johann Tetzel: monk who sold indulgences with the slogan: “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs.”

d. while people remain deeply religious (amounts donated reflect this) it creates environment for reform

B. Martin Luther and the German Reformation to 1525

1. Luther is German friar who becomes a theology professor in Wittenberg

2. At the time the archbishop of his area is selling indulgences to pay off his debts for obtaining three Church offices

a. the Catholic belief is that those who sin must confess and do penance (also do “good works”)

i. the Church had corrupted this to mean that sins could be “bought off”

ii. they even drew up a list of sins and specific prices

· they also encouraged the paying off of the sins of dead relatives

iii. the pope’s explanation is that a “treasury of merit” exists, basically a store of accumulated good works

b. Luther is concerned because people then feel they have no further need of repentance

i. For Luther, FAITH ALONE determines salvation (this is in opposition to the Catholic belief in faith and good works)

· He thinks indulgences and good works amount to a scoring system

· Also he doubts man’s authority to essentially overrule God

3. Luther posts his “95 Theses” to debate the issue in 1517 (nailed?)

a. he challenges pope’s power to grant indulgences since it says nothing about them in the Bible and criticizes papal wealth

i. Luther’s main argument is that since the pope has at times shown himself to be in error, his authority for an all-knowing God must be questioned, Luther then denies papal authority and states all power rests in the scripture

ii. He also praises Jan Hus- Czech theologian who was burned at the stake for his beliefs

b. Luther’s ideas spread rapidly due to the printing press and his command of language

c. the papacy responds by ordering his books burned and Luther was eventually excommunicated

4. Charles V, as new Holy Roman Emperor, calls his first diet in 1521

a. at the Diet of Worms Luther refuses to recant, but is protected by some of the German princes

C. Distractions

1. Part of Luther’s ability to advance the Protestant cause was the preoccupation of the HRE with other wars

a. The Habsburgs (hereditary rulers of Austria and sort-of Spain) and the Valois (hereditary rulers of France) fight four major wars

b. Meanwhile the Ottomans are advancing into eastern Europe

2. The Peasant’s Revolt

a. Partially inspired by Luther’s teachings on Christian freedom, peasants throughout Germany rise up against their lords

i. Knowing that the reformation won’t advance if associated with such a revolution and with Luther protected by German princes, Luther condemns the revolts

b. Around 70,000-100,000 die as they are suppressed

Ch. 5 Section 4

The Spread of Protestantism and the Catholic Response

The Reformation elsewhere

1. Zwingli and the Swiss Reformation

a. Switzerland becomes a center of the debate, because its cantons are divided into Catholic and Protestant territories

b. Zwingli becomes a leader of the movement

i. he believed, like Luther, that traditions outside of the scriptures are invalid (like Lent)

ii. also the celibacy of clergy should be gotten rid of

· this becomes standard in most Protestant faiths, Luther himself would later marry a former nun

iii. the two did disagree on a number of issues, such as the role of the Eucharist ***read p. 774

c. these conflicts would ultimately mean that Protestantism would remain divided, despite efforts such as the Marburg Colloquy to resolve the differences

2. The Anabaptists

a. Ancestors of the Mennonites, Amish and Quakers

b. Biggest belief is against infant baptism, but also includes pacifism and refusal of obedience of temporal authority

i. All of these bring them into numerous conflicts with other groups

ii. Rebaptism eventually becomes a crime within the HRE, with thousands executed

3. The Calvinists

a. John Calvin establishes this church, eventually forming a theocracy in Geneva

i. Church law governs the state, with punishments for things such as missing church, harsh punishments

· Some advantages, becomes known as a “woman’s paradise”

b. Biggest belief is that of predestination, essentially that man lacks free will, everything is determined by God’s divine plan beforehand and an individual is saved or damned at birth

E. War and Peace during the Reformation

1. Diet of Augsburg

a. Last chance to resolve the two sides differences, HRE takes a hard-line and it fails

2. The Reformation spreads

a. Sweden becomes Lutheran

3. Various religious wars happen for around 30 years between the two sides

a. These are eventually resolved (temporarily) by the Peace of Augsburg

i. Basically the agreement is that the ruler of a state was allowed to pick its religion, those displeased were allowed to migrate elsewhere

F. The English Reformation

1. Henry VIII is king of England (and “Defender of the Faith”)

2. The King’s Affair

a. Henry had married Catherine of Aragon (the Spanish princess)

i. She has produced one daughter (Mary) and no sons (lots of miscarriages)