Northern Renaissance and Reformation

Flashcards based on the lecture notes about the Northern Renaissance and the Reformation.

he significance of trade in the evolution of the Northern Renaissance?    

• alps made it hard to get around

• had to go around

What was the northern renaissance

Northern Renaissance @ France, the Low Countries (BENELUX - Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg), Germany, Poland, Novgorod, and England.

• spread of reniassance from Italy

Hanseatic League

The Hanseatic League, also known as the Hansa, was a confederation of North German trading cities and merchant guilds that flourished from the 12th to the 17th centuries. Its primary goal was to facilitate trade and protect the mutual interests of its members, particularly in the Baltic Sea and North Sea regions. 

What aspects of the Renaissance were appealing to people north of the Alps

•  Connection to the Classics - ancient text

•  Humanism / agency of human intellect

•  Advancements in science - emphasis on empirical observation.

•  Education & Inquiry

•  New artistic techniques (later Baroque)

Feudalism decine

• post-plague environment

• use of money over land

• growth of freemen

• independent nation state monarchies

• reducing dependence on nobility

• obsolete feudal armies (technology)

• agricultural productivity

How did Northern artists reflect Renaissance ideas?

• The focus was on everyday humans and events. 

• They used color/light and techniques like perspective to portray realism.

• How were the Renaissance artists different from Italian artists?  

• Not as much obsession with the classics, but Renaissance ideals of Humanism still present

• New use of light/dark contrast

• Northern Renaissance artists used a new technique called engraving too

Northern Renaissances was different?

More emphasis on christ

Pre Gutenberd

Illuminated manuscript, block books

How did Gutenberg contribute to the Northern Renaissance?

• Gutenberg:  invents INDIVIDUAL metal molds that have separate letters on them; they were RE-ARRANGEABLE.  

• He also introduced the printing press (press stamps against paper)

• Now people could produce written work at a faster pace, with fewer errors

• The book that was put to the press the fastest…(can you guess?)

• THE BIBLE! 20 million were made!

How did moveable type/printing press forever change society in Europe?

• Religious impacts:

  • Christian ideas were spread more easily

  • People felt that they could have a more direct connection to God (they could have a Bible in their homes!) Not surprisingly, the Church didn’t love this

• Scientific impacts: 

  • People could privately acquire info (more education) 

  • They could question/build off of scientific findings (The Church didn’t like this).

• Language impacts:

  • Even more emphasis in writing in the vernacular

  • There was increased education

  • They could start to use the Bible (from different areas) to teach themselves new languages!

• Social class impacts:

  • Books were made at a faster rate and cheaper cost, so lower class could get educated (become “Renaissance Men” and “Renaissance women”)

  • Emergence of a middle class

  • Increased literacy!!

• How did Northern Europeans contribute to the Renaissance and impact society?

Northern European Renaissance contributions included advancements in art (oil painting, detailed realism), exploration and trade expansion, and the spread of Renaissance ideas via the printing press. These advancements impacted society by fostering cultural exchange, economic growth, and the Reformation. 

Why did the sale of indulgences by the Church infuriate some people?  

• One of the immediate causes of the Protestant Reformation was the sale of indulgences (you will read about this).

• Johann Tetzel, a popular friar was appointed by the archbishop in Germany in 1517 to sell indulgences.  

• Even though this is from 1517, the same practice was used in the Middle Ages.

What was the protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation was a major religious reform movement in 16th-century Europe, challenging the authority of the Catholic Church and leading to the establishment of Protestant denominations. It was largely sparked by figures like Martin Luther and John Calvin. 

Who could read the bible?

• During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance it was illegal to produce, own, or read The Bible in the vernacular—it HAD to be in Latin. 

The rationale was that only those who studied theology could be trusted to understand the word of God.

• Plus, sometimes sin happens—this was an easy way to get to heaven (if you are rich)

ONLY THE CLERGY —> easy manipulation to say that there was indulgences for sale!

John Wycliff

• John Wycliffe was an English theologian who strongly objected to the practice of Indulgences.

• His rationale: The sale of indulgences was not written in The Bible!!!

• 1. The best way to achieve salvation was through personal interpretation of The Bible for moral conduct—NOT receiving the sacraments from the Church. 

• 2. The holiness of an individual was more important than official office. In other words—a truly pious lay person was morally superior to a wicked ordained cleric.

• 3. The exorbitant luxury of the clergy was wrong.

• For Wycliffe, a personal understanding of The Bible was essential for getting to heaven.

• Your salvation does NOT depend on the priests giving the sacraments.

• His solution: Translate The Bible into English

Church reaction to Wycliff

Hated it, killed him and set out to look for others who owns a wyclifff bible as his whole thing was to print bibles in venacular

People began questioning the church uthorityy..

• But most of the nobility was threatened by Wycliffe’s demise.

• If people questioned the authority of the Church, they might also question the authority of the Nobility!

Jan Hus

• Jan Hus was a contemporary of Wycliffe who lived in Bohemia.

• He too believed in the supremacy of scripture over the word of the Pope and clergy.

• Jan Hus and his followers (“Hussites”) begin to translate The Bible into Czech.

• He preaches against the sale of indulgences and Papal supremacy.

Faced with choice: Recant or burn

• He believed that the clergy were acting AGAINST the will of God.

• To evade the fire in this life would mean to burn in the next.

• Jan Hus became (and still is) a national hero to the Czechs.

100 Years later Martin Luther Carries the Torch!

• Like Wycliffe and Hus, Luther was a priest who became disillusioned with the church.

• When Luther heard Tetzel’s speech it was the final straw…

Martin Luther and the 95 Theses

• He wrote 95 Theses on religion and nailed it to the university Church’s door. 

• In those days, the Church door was like the campus bulletin board.

• uther’s 95 Theses were a sensation!

• Within 1 day everyone in town knew what he had wrote, within 1 week all the surrounding villages knew, within 1 month the country knew, and within 6 months he was running for his life.

• - It questioned powerful Church officials. Especially the Pope.

• -  Made it seem like the Pope and God were not “one”– only God could grant forgiveness (not the Pope).

• - Questioned the MORALS of the Pope—Luther said it is not okay to support indulgences and the Pope shouldn’t want that money used for the building of St. Peter’s Basilica.

• - Charity (helping the poor) and giving money to the Church were not the same thing.

• The Bible should be in the vernacular.

The Church said that Luther’s ideas threatened the unity of Christianity and could lead to violence.

How did the church react to martin luther

• 1521- The Church tells Luther he must recant (take back) his views. 

  • “I have in my simple way foreseen What Luther’s teaching promises to bring:  Great rebellion and bloodletting, much hatred and strife. The fear of God will vanish forever; together with the whole of scripture, and authority will everywhere be despised” –anonymous Catholic author 

  • Why did some people want him to recant?

Martin luther v catholics

How did martin Luther get there

• In 1507, Luther joined a monastery called The Eremite Augustinians of Strict Observance and became a monk where he devoted himself to understanding the nature of God.

• He is told to work hard, fast, pray, and whip himself to understand the true meaning of God.

• In 1508 he is invited to speak at the University of Wittenberg on Moral Philosophy.

  
  

  He stays and earns a doctorate in Theology.

  
  

  For his studies he reads humanist thinkers, other theologians (like Hus and Wycliffe) and of course, The Bible.

  
  

Did Martin Luther want the church to die

• Luther wanted to REFORM the Catholic Church (not do away with it).  

• His movement though caused a radical split in Christianity  

The Key to Luthers Success

• On the one hand, people (including the nobility) were getting more and more fed up with the practice of indulgences.

  • The building of St. Peter’s Basilica highlighted Church corruption.

• Additionally, the invention of the printing press allowed the spread of Luther’s ideas.

• Not to mention there were already established communities of Hussites and Lollards who already agreed with him!

Frederick the Wise

Frederick III Elector of Saxony

Protector of Martin Luther

The Diet of Worms

APRIL 1521

• He refused and was excommunicated

• The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V demands that Luther come to the Diet of Worms (it’s a city -  not a creepy crawly thing)

• He is granted safe passage to and from the Diet (this is key, remember Jan Hus!)

• He must either affirm OR renounce his views.

• What will he do??

• The good money was on him renouncing!!

“Your imperial Majesty and Your Lordships demand a simple answer.  Here it is, plain and unvarnished.  Unless I am convinced of error by the testimony of Scripture or (since I put no trust in the unsupported authority of Pope or councils, since it is plain that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I stand convinced by the Scriptures to which I have appealed. My conscience is taken captive by God’s word, I cannot and will not recant anything, for to act against our conscience is neither safe for us, nor open to us.” 

When Luther and the princes who supported him left Worms, the emperor imposed an Imperial Act (Wormser Edikt): Luther is declared an outlaw (he may be killed by anyone without threat of punishment).

Why would German princes support and shelter Luther?

• Shows independence from Holy Roman Emperor

• Eliminate payments to the Pope

• Confiscate wealth of Catholic Church – monasteries, etc.

• Eliminate rival authority – bishops and archbishops 

Venacualr and martin

he begins to tranlaste the bible into german and church services begin to take [lace in german langagues

Why does Luther condemn the revolt and back authority?

• Needs support of princes

• Luther: Nothing that happens on this earth truly matters - accept your suffering here

Protestanism and rebellion

Many saw protestanism as a way to challenge their own freedom and rights, if questioning the authoirty of the pope why not challenge the authority of feudal lords? Martin Luther did not like this becuase he needed supports ffrom the pricnes and didnt wanrt a big revolt

Luther and Anti Semitism

He became and anti semite and began blaming jews for the big revolt

Henry VIII

• In 1521 he publishes
  An Assertion of the Seven Sacraments Against Martin Luther.

• The message is VERY clear:

  • Heresy will NOT be tolerated in England.

  • All heretics will be burned!

• The Pope rewards Henry with the title: Defender of the Faith.

• William Tyndale was an English scholar who studied the Bible – He was also a Protestant.

• Like Wycliffe, he translated the Bible into English.

• In 1536 he was strangled and burned for heresy.

Why did Henry VII challenge papal power (and switch up)?

He needed the siding of the pope to have a special allowance for him and a mariage to catherine

• Henry fell in love with her and married her when Arthur died.

• This went against Church law and the Pope had to issue a special allowance for it.

• He didn’t mind – Catherine’s Family was a VERY good friend of the Church! 

• Henry and Catherine’s marriage only produced a daughter—Mary.

• Henry wanted a son and heir, but Catherine couldn’t give him one!

• Henry wanted to divorce Catherine so he could find a new wife…

• But divorce goes against church teachings, so...

• The Pope refused to grant an exception.

Anne Bolyn

• Anne Boleyn caught the King’s eye.

• He fell madly in love with her, but she refused to have an affair with him.

• He had to put a ring on it!

• The problem was that his ring was already on Catherine’s finger…

               ...how to get it off ??

The Act of Supremacy

• Henry and all his future heirs were named the head of the State and head of a new Anglican Church (a.k.a. The Church of England).
  
  

• So begins…
  The English Reformation

Did Henry VIII truly start another branch of Protestantism by creating the Anglican Church?

• YES - He made himself the HEAD of The Church of England, thereby rejecting the Pope!

  THE ACT OF SUPREMACY
    = split with Rome!

• NO - Anglican religious practice was basically the same as the Roman Catholicism.

  • Still needed sacraments.

  • Priests still couldn’t marry.

  • Confession was still necessary.

What was the Anglican church

The Anglican Church, also known as the Church of England, was founded by King Henry VIII in 1534 through the Act of Supremacy. This act declared the Church of England independent from the Roman Catholic Church and established Henry as the supreme head. The move was primarily driven by Henry's desire to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and marry Anne Boleyn, which the Pope refused to grant. 

Thomas Cranmer and 

The Book of Common Prayer

Remember, Cranmer was the same man who helped Henry VIII pass The Act of Supremacy which allowed Henry to divorce Catherine of Aragon!

The one thing Edward VI did in his short reign was to have Thomas Cranmer write The English Book of Common Prayer.

•  This was a collection of Anglican prayers to replace Catholic prayers.

•  Cranmer also helped move the Anglican Church towards more Protestant practices. Priests were allowed to marry.

Mary and Protestants

• Queen Mary I promised to allow Protestants to practice their faith.
  
  

• However all Church lands that had been seized under her father and brother were returned to the Church.
  
  

• Only Catholics could have any power.

BLODDDYYY MARRRRRY

• HAD 280 PROTESTANT DISSENTERS BURNED

• 1 on her hit list.

• Remember, he was the one who: 

  • Helped Henry divorce her mother.

  • Educated Edward VI in Protestantism.

  • Wrote The English Book of Common Prayer.

Mary dies with no heir

• Mary did not want her half-sister to become Queen because she was Protestant.  Her advisors wanted to have Elizabeth killed, but Mary refused. 

• The people of England welcomed Elizabeth because Mary had been so ruthless in her pro-Catholic agenda.

lizabeth became queen at the age of 25.  As her triumphal parade wound through the city on the eve of the coronation ceremony, she was welcomed wholeheartedly by the citizens and greeted by orations and pageants, most with a strong Protestant flavour. ^]The following day, 15 January 1559, a date chosen by her astrologer, Elizabeth was crowned and anointed by the Catholic Bishop of Carlisle, in Westminster Abbey...

How did Elizabeth manage

domestic religious tensions?  

The Elizabethan Settlement:

• Anglican Church keeps Catholic rituals and hierarchy.
  
  

• But monarch remains head of church.
  
  

• The Book of Common Prayer (Protestant doctrine) allowed; sermons in English.
  
  

• This was what her father had instituted, but she was reversing what Queen Mary had imposed.  

• Can a woman really rule??
  
  

•  There was immense pressure for her to marry so a man would help rule and so there would be an heir.

Mary Queen of Scots

• Her cousin, Mary, a French Catholic, ruled Scotland to the north.
  
  

• Elizabeth never met her cousin, but always feared her ambitions for the throne of England.
  
  

• Elizabeth captured Mary.
  
  

• After a Catholic invasion from Scotland...

• Exechuted out of fear she was going to take the throne (Catholic)

How did Elizabeth’s actions during The Spanish Armada influence England’s opinion of her?

Background on The Spanish Armada:

• Spain wanted to overthrow Elizabeth and Spain was the most powerful country at the time.

• Age of Exploration was also happening and Elizabeth had told her explorers that they could pirate Spanish ships.  So Spain now had a reason to retaliate.

• Spain sends an armada of war ships to England in 1588.

• Elizabeth used religion as a UNIFYING force again.

• Tone - loving, genuine.

• Faith in her soldiers and people.

• Willing to fight alongside her soldiers.

• Acknowledges her own weaknesses; acknowledges her position as royalty without putting them down.

• Demonstrated leadership.

• Invokes the NATION of England, in contrast to Europe.

John Calvin

• John Calvin (1509-1564) was responsible for the success of the Reformation outside of Germany and Scandinavia.
  
  

• He created the patterns of thought that have dominated Western culture throughout the modern era.

• Calvin emphasized the power of God over sinful and corrupt humanity.

• Calvin’s God demanded obedience. The distance between God and man was bridged only by Christ. Calvin’s theology was stern. God’s laws must be rigorously obeyed. 

• Social and moral righteousness must be earnestly pursued. 

• Predestination

So, how did the Church respond to challenges that Protestants brought forth?

• In 1545, Pope Paul III created The Council of Trent in the hope of discussing what to do next.

  Redefined the Catholic Church’s beliefs.

• Reinforced clerical hierarchy as valid, sacraments as essential, and Pope as a necessary connection to God.  

• But limited the sale of indulgences and lavish lifestyle practices of clergy; also insisted that clergy be educated and interpret The Bible in vernacular languages.

• Acknowledged that The Bible and the Church were equally powerful, but insisted that the Pope’s interpretation of The Bible was final.

THESE DECREES WERE NOT A COMPROMISE WITH PROTESTANTS.  It was instead a way to show current members they were reforming, and it was a way to keep members.

• In 1555 Charles V reached a treaty with an alliance of Lutheran princes within the Holy Roman Empire.  

• The Peace of Augsburg was intended to cool religious tensions.

• End the conflict between Catholics and Protestants (specifically Lutherans) which had resulted from the Protestant Reformation.

• Prevent future religious wars within the Empire.

• Establish a framework for religious coexistence. 

• The Peace of Augsburg stated that a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire  (Germany) could be Lutheran OR Catholic, but that NO ONE could be Calvinist.

• All of the subjects had to follow the religion of their Prince.

Diet of Worms

1512 heretic, church wanted to kill him and burn him

He did not want to recant, he left and was purposley kidnapped by ferdinand

Why would The Peace of Augsburg

not truly fix the problem?

• Calvinists could still be charged with heresy even if they lived in a Lutheran territory.

• If you were of a different faith than your ruler you had to move or face the consequences.

• leader determines your religion

  • A step toward religious tolerance

In 1572 the Catholic queen of France (Catherine de Medici, great-granddaughter of Lorenzo the Magnificent) orders Protestants in Paris massacred!

20,000 Huguenots are killed in the 

St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre!

This further convinces European Protestants that Catholics are blood-thirsty!

Henry IV

The violence in France only stops when Henry IV comes to power and issues The Edict of Nantes.

• Although he was raised a Calvinist, as king, Henry IV converted to Catholicism.

• We have seen people willingly burn for their faith, why would he voluntarily convert?

  • Because most of rffrance was ctholid

Henry IV converted because he was a politique-- the success and well-being of the state was more important than religion!

France was mostly Catholic and he believed it would be better for the state to have  a Catholic ruler.

Politiques were unpopular because they were thought to have no morals or conviction.

Even though he converted to Catholicism, he still had a religion problem on his hands.

• Catholics didn’t fully trust him and Protestants thought he had betrayed them.

The Edict of Nantes: 1598

• Granted religious rights to Huguenots.
  
  

• Huguenots could worship in those areas where they were in the majority.
  
  

• Huguenots could fortify and arm their towns.
  
  

• There will not be a repeat of St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.
  
  

 But this was NOT freedom of religion  --  If you want to practice your Protestant faith you MUST live in a Protestant town...\

But The Edict of Nantes remains in place until Henry’s grandson, Louis XIV, revokes it in 1685.

Europe

• England is Anglican.

• Spain is Catholic.

• H.R.E. is mixed through The Peace of Augsburg.

Franceis Catholic with grudging tolerance towards Protestants.

• Bohemia was under control of a ruling family called The Hapsburgs.

Because of Jan Hus, Protestantism had long been present in Bohemia and the Hapsburgs had shown them toleration through a Letter of Majesty.

• Remember, Bohemia had long been  Protestant because of Jan Hus.
  
  

• When the Catholic Hapsburg, Ferdinand II, revoked religious tolerance towards Protestants in Bohemia, there was outrage.
  
  

• Ferdinand II sent two representatives to Prague Castle to deliver the bad news…

Defenestration of Prague

The Defenestrations of Prague refer to three incidents in Czech history where individuals were thrown out of windows, particularly in Prague Castle, as a form of protest or punishment. The most famous is the 1618 incident, which is often cited as the catalyst for the Thirty Years' War. 

Thiry years war

(1618-1648)

The war began over religious differences between Protestants and Catholics.

• It evolved into a broader struggle over the balance of power in Europe. 

• The Hapsburg family ruled in Austria and Spain: they were determined to be the top dog in Europe!

• The Bourbon family ruled in France and, though Catholic, fought in alliance with Protestant states to limit Habsburg power.

auses:  

• Long Term:  Religious tension in Holy Roman Empire between Protestants and Catholics.

• The spark:  HR emperor tried to curtail religious freedom, so Protestants rebelled.

The nature of the war (thirty years)

• Huge armies fought grand battles, resulting in massive death tolls. 

  • At the Battle of Breitenfeld, Catholic forces were virtually annihilated (a new development in Europe).

• Central Europe was effectively destroyed.

  • 20% of German-speaking people died due to conflict, disease, and famine.

• Civilians were killed in record numbers: 

  • Catholic forces killed 25,000 (of 30,000) Protestants in the city of Magdeburg.

NO.

ONE.

WON!

The Peace of Westphalia, 1648

The Peace of Westphalia was a series of peace treaties signed in 1648 that ended the Thirty Years' War and the Eighty Years' War. It had profound political and religious significance, marking the beginning of the modern state system and introducing the principle of state sovereignty. The treaties established a framework for peaceful coexistence between Catholic and Protestant states, allowing rulers to choose their official religion and guaranteeing religious freedom for individuals

• Stopped killing eachother over relion

• Last major religous war in Europe

• End of violence accompanying the reformation

Calvinsim

alvinism, also known as Reformed Christianity, is a theological system within Protestantism that emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the depravity of humankind, and the doctrine of predestination. It is based on the teachings of John Calvin and his followers during the Reformation. 

3 main religons

• Lutheranism

• Calvinism

• Catholicism

• Europeans allowed more Religious tolerance: 

  • Rulers had the right to choose the religion of their state.

  • People living in places where their religion was not established by the state could worship in private and in public during allotted hours.

  • Prepares the way for further debate on philosophy of religion, including agnosticism and atheism.

Political effcect of the peace of westphalia

• The Map of Europe was redrawn: 

  • The Holy Roman Empire lost a great deal of power.

  • Countries that had been a part of the HRE were effectively independent.

  • Central Europe therefore became a collection of small, German-speaking principalities.

  • The Dutch Republic became independent from Spain.

France became the dominant European power (at the expense of

The chllenge (spanoish inquisistant)

• As you have learned, prior to the Reconquista, Spain had been under Muslim Control for 600 years!
  
  

• Due to the religious toleration under the Moors, Spain became a relative safe-haven for the Jews who were persecuted elsewhere in Europe. {See the Convivencia}
  
  

• As a result, there was a significant Jewish population and culture in Spain.

After reclaiming Spain, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella wanted to create a distinctly Catholic Spain.

Target of spanish inquisition

The Conversos:

• Jews and Muslims who had converted to Catholicism.
  
  

• After the Reconquista, Muslims and Jews could not participate in the government and were excluded from many jobs.
  
  

• Many Jews hoping to improve their position converted.

• It was believed the conversions were not genuine.

• Catholics did not like losing jobs to Conversos.

• Conversos still contributed to the Jewish economy.

• There was a financial incentive to condemn them and confiscate their property.

Who led the inquisition

• Dominican Friars were the Catholic order of monks who oversaw The Inquisition.

• Because they were so ruthless they were known as Domini Canes or “Hounds of God”.

Procedues

• An Inquisitor would read a list of heresies and encourage citizens to confess to heresies they committed.
  
  

• If you admitted to a crime you would only be given a minor punishment.
  
  

• You needed to give names of other heretics so the church could find them!Detention
  
  

• The one accused would be isolated in prison while priests and officials looked at their case.
  
  

• Sometimes the person in jail would be there for months without knowing why they were placed there.

• toca: water torture, forced down throat.
  
  

• potro: tied onto rack by tight cords that could be tightened.
  
  

• garrucha: hung by wrists on pulley, weight on feet, pain and dislocation.

Trial and Sentencing

• In a usual trial the accused would be tortured until they admitted the crime.
  
  

• The accused would either be sentenced to death, freedom (very rare) or if they admitted their crimes they would go through the Auto de fe.
  
  

• The Auto de fe was a public ritual where the accused publicly declared their sins.

• If you confessed you could be released after paying a heavy penance.

• A second conviction resulted in burning.

Tomas de Torquemada

• Nicknamed: “The Black Legend”.
  
  

• Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand’s confessor.
  
  

• Pope named him one of the Grand Inquisitors.
  
  

• 2,000 people were captured in first year,
  50 a day were burned.

Impacts of the spanish inquidisation

• The Inquisition lasted from 1478-1834.
  
  

• Due to 356 years of Inquisition, strict Catholicism became wrapped up in Spanish identity.
  
  

• It lasted for so long because staunch Catholics would not go against the Church.
  
  

• Spain is still almost entirely Catholic.

• It is estimated that 150,000 people were killed.