Antiquities & the Renaissance - People in the News

Constantine

Legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire

St. Benedict

Father of Western Monasticism — emphasized preservation of important texts (ancient Greek and Roman, Christian)

Muhammad

Founder of Islam, heard prophecies from Allah that would become the Quran

Abu Bakr

Friend of Prophet Muhammad, ensure the preservation of the Quran

Averroes

Andalusion polymath, translated Aristotle’s works into Arabic

Avicenna

Influential to medieval European medical thought, wrote Book of Healing

Saladin

Successful military head during the Crusades on the Muslim side, captured Jerusalem

Richard the Lionheart

Important military commander during the Crusades on the Christian side, eventually became King of England

William the Conqueror

Duke of Normandy, initiated the Norman Conquest

Dante

Author of Divine Comedy, father of Italian language - wrote in Italian instead of Latin

Petrarch

Father of Humanism, revived classical texts, emphasized moral philosophy

Boccaccio

Author of Decameron, preserved Dante’s work and influence

Marsilio Ficino

Important renaissance humanist, first to translate Plato’s works into Latin, blended classical thought with Christian philosophy

Roman Vitruvius

Author of Ten Books on Architecture - influenced revival of Classical architecture and design in the Renaissance

Erasmus

Pioneered new scholarly Latin and Greek translations of NT, combined classical learning with Christian teachings

Thomas More

Author of Utopia, executed by Henry VIII for refusal to convert from Catholic faith

Duccio

Important Medieval Italian painter, painted experimental religious imagery that resembled Byzantine art

Giotto

Florentine painter and architect, broke from Byzantine artistic style/tradition

Leonardo da Vinci

Painted the Mona Lisa, original “Renaissance man,” exemplified humanist ideals through art

Michelangelo

Famous Renaissance artist and sculptor, made frescos in Sistine Chapel and David, exemplified humanist ideals through art

Botticelli

Early Renaissance Florentine painter, made Birth of Venus

Giorgio Vasari

Renaissance art historian, wrote Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects

Lorenzo de’ Medici

Head of the ruling Medici family, patron of artists like Michelangelo

Brunelleschi

Designed the dome of the Santa Maria del Fiore

Leonardo Fibonacci

Introduced Arabic number system to Europe, devised Fibonacci series

Copernicus

Proposed the heliocentric theory

Andreas Vesalius

Revolutionized study of human anatomy through careful dissections and detailed illustrations

Francis Bacon

Father of the scientific method, inductive not deducted method

Galileo Galilei

Father of modern astronomy and physics, supported heliocentric model through use of telescope

Jakob Fugger

Part of family of European bankers, controlled much of European economy in 16th century

Christopher Columbus

Journeyed across Atlantic, reached the Caribbean, committed genocide against native people

Ferdinand and Isabella

Spanish king and queen who funded Columbus’ explorations

Martin Luther

Started Protestant Reformation, challenged corrupt Roman Catholic Church, wrote 95 Theses - emphasized Bible and personal faith over church hierarchies

Ignatius of Loyola

Founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), wrote Spiritual Exercises

Johannes Gutenberg

Inventor of movable type printing press, enabled quick and cheap production of texts, boosted literacy rates

Hans Holbein

Produced religious art and book illustrations, painted English Royalty like Henry VIII and Ambassadors

Henry VIII

Founded Church of England

Christine de Pizan

One of the first female European authors, argued for women’s rights and education

Queen Elizabeth

English queen credited with long, stable, and successful reign which saw flourishing of theatre, culture, and arts and success of playwrights like William Shakespeare