Renaissance Glossary

Posted by Lorri Brown Apr 5, 2007

The period of history known as the European Renaissance is filled with many unfamiliar terms and words. I thought it would be helpful to give a brief definition of some of the more important people, places, and events of the Renaissance. For mre information on any of the topics below, simply click the highlighted link.

Renaissance- The terms re-birth. It is the name given to the artistic movement in late Medieval Europe, spanning 1300-1600. It was marked by a renewed interest in the cultures of Ancient Greece and Rome.

Humanism- An intellectual movement, marking the beginning of the Renaissance in Europe. Humanism was concerned with human beings, rather than with religions. Humanist thought and philosophy became a cornerstone of Renaissance education.

Medici Family- A powerful merchant family who patronized artists, helping to establish the beginnings of the Renaissance in Italy.

Florence- A city-state in Northern Italy, and home to the Medici family. It is often called the birthplace of the European Renaissance.

Niccolo Machiavelli- A prominent Italian statesman, and author of numerous books, including The Prince, which outlines Machiavelli’s thoughts on what a makes a strong ruler. He is often referred to as the inventor of political science.

Flanders- Part of modern day Belgium. It was the cultural center of the Northern Renaissance. It was home to such Renaissance Artists as Jan Van Eyck and Pieter Brueghel the Elder.

Johannes Gutenberg- A German goldsmith who adapted the Chinese printing press for western languages with the invention of movable type. Gutenberg made it possible to mass produce books cheaply, helping spread Renaissance ideas throughout Western Europe.