Thursday, October 28, 2010

Terms, Places, and People

  1. Principalities of Milan, Florence, and Venice
  2. England was ruled by monarchical families
  3. Quattrocento is fifteenth century Italy
    • Rulers: Giovanni, Cosimo, Lorenzo
    • Artists: Giotto- wall painting, Donatello- sculpting, Brunelleschi- engineer of the dome of Florence Cathedral and invented perspective, Leonardo da Vinci- Botticelli- classical and pagan myths, Michelangelo- Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Cathedral, Raphael- painter
  4. Renaissance
    • Celebrating the individual in painting- individualization
    • Scholarship and the love of classical learning
    • Secularization- less revolved around religion
  5. Humanism
    • Courtiers were the people in the nobility within the court of the princes that Machiavelli talks about
      • Baldassare Castiglione- writes "The Book of the Courtier"
  6. In 1494, Charles VIII of France invades Italy with the hope of conquering Naples
  7. King Ferdinand II of Spain contest Charles VIII's claims to Naples
  8. The war that resulted was called Habsburg Valois or the Italian War of 1521-1526
  9. Niccolo Machiavelli is considered the founder of modern political science
    • The purpose of writing "The Prince" was in memory of Lorenzo Medici
    • The historical context is the Italian War of 1521-1526
    • He wrote about what would make the Italian cities strong and unified again
    • The 3 most important things princes needed to know
      • Approach their relations with people from the pessimistic view of society
      • Because human nature is selfish and greedy, a prince has to be able to manipulate people and use situations to get his own ulterior motives
      • A prince must be both ruthless and pragmatic (seeing everything from a political standpoint)
  10. In England there was feudalization, but in Italy there was movement between social orders
  11. Oration on the Dignity of Man- Pico della Mirandola

Questions on Machiavelli


1. Which of the following would be most successful in business today? And what kind of business would they run (Internet startup, chain store, international conglomerate, NGO, mafia)? Remirro da Orca (chapter 7), Oliverotto da Fermo (chapter 8) Cesare Borgia.


Remirro da Orca was promoted governor of Romagna by the duke.  Ramiro was chosen because “the country was full of robbery, quarrels, and every kind of violence,” (Machiavelli, VII).  The duke gave the most power to Remirro, “a swift and cruel man,” (Machiavelli, VII).  Remirro was able to restore peace and unity among the people throughout the entire country of Romagna in a very short amount of time.  The duke later had Remirro executed because he did not believe that one man should have so much power.  Remirro da Orca would be most successful as the manager of a chain store because he had great leadership skills as governor, but he would not have been able to survive as the ruler of something much larger than Romagna.  The duke realized that Remirro would soon become a source of hate for the people, and he decided to kill him.  Remirro had no type of protection built around him that could have prevented this from happening.  The duke had secured himself from any dangers around him by killing Remirro who could have been a threat to him.  It would have been wise for Remirro to protect himself in such a way.
Oliverotto da Fermo was brought up by his uncle Giovanni Fogliani because he was orphaned as a child.  In his youth, Oliverotto was trained to fight so that he might gain a high military position when he was older.  “He wrote to Giovanni Fogliani that, having been away from home for many years, he wished to visit him and his city,” (Machiavelli, VIII).  He planned an elaborate gathering and banquet for his homecoming.  Giovanni and the chiefs of Fermo were at the banquet, and Oliverotto began to talk about certain political matters.  Oliverotto chose to move the meeting into a more private room.  “No sooner were they seated than soldiers issued from secret places and slaughtered Giovanni and the rest,” (Machiavelli, VIII).  Oliverotto immediately left the room and took control of the chief magistrate in the palace.  Oliverotto da Fermo would be most successful as a member of the mafia because he used violence and murder to rise to the top.  He would never have become prince based on the way people felt about him or his actual strength and talent in battle.  In the mafia there are constantly people who are set up to kill other people, and plots to do whatever it takes to gain money and power.  These are exactly the kind of things Oliverotto did to gain power and money although he did not remain in power for long.
Cesare Borgia was the son of Pope Alexander VI, and he went by the name of Duke Valentino.  Cesare became duke of Romagna through the good fortune of his father, who as the pope had gained tremendous power.  “He had taken every measure and done all that ought to be done by a wise and able man to fix firmly his roots in the states which the arms and fortunes of others had bestowed on him,” (Machiavelli, VII).  Cesare began by entering Romagna and capturing the French soldiers.  He led the French soldiers for awhile, but he decided that they were not reliable to him.  “He turned to mercenaries, discerning less danger in them,” (Machiavelli, XIII).  Cesare Borgia would be most successful as the creator of an international conglomerate because he controlled everything that went on around him.  He was in complete control of the soldiers he would lead and the allies he would have.  If he felt his soldiers were not being faithful, he would just leave them and find some new people.  Cesare did this many times and that is what brought him to the top.  The people saw that he was in complete control of his forces and he was highly esteemed by them.  Cesare Borgia would also be the most successful in business today out of these three people.  “Cesare is acclaimed by some critics as the “hero” of “The Prince,” (Introduction).  Cesare would be the most successful because he was the master of his own destiny, whereas Oliverotto and Remirro relied on others to bring them to the top.  Cesare was constantly thinking strategically about what he could do to protect himself and bring him to higher power; this is what raises him above the rest.

2. Who is a prince's greatest ally? (Chapters 9, 19, 20, 21)

A prince’s greatest ally is the people.  A citizen of society will not become prince through violence or wickedness; he will become prince through the favor of his fellow citizens and the people.  Every city is made up of two types of citizens: nobles and common citizens.  The power to form a principality lies with the people.  A prince who is created by the people will be the prime ruler.  The people are very easy to satisfy because they “desire not to be oppressed,” (Machiavelli, IX).  The only thing a prince created by the people must do is maintain the friendship with the people, which is a very easy thing to do.  “Because men, when they receive goods from him of whom they were expecting evil, are bound more closely to their benefactor; thus the people quickly become more devoted to him,” (Machiavelli, IX).
When a prince conveys his impression of himself he is highly esteemed.  If “it is well known that he is an excellent man,” (Machiavelli, XIX) he is revered by his people.  Machiavelli said that if a prince builds a fortress it may protect him from foreigners, but it will not protect the prince form the citizens if they rebel.  “He ought to entertain the people with festivals and spectacles at convenient seasons of the year,” (Machiavelli, XXII).  The citizens are the people that the prince needs to strive to please because they are the ones who put the prince in power to begin with.  The people can easily remove the prince from power if they become displeased with the things the prince are doing.

3. According to Machiavelli, when is generosity a good thing? (Be specific, identify, and cite his argument).

            Generosity is a quality that is admired by many people.  A prince who does not seem generous will be perceived by the people as frugal, but he will eventually gain the view of being generous.  Being perceived as frugal is not a bad thing for a prince; this is because the prince’s frugalness will eventually lead to his generosity.  He will have saved up his funds rather than spending them all at once on trying to seem generous from the start.  “Seeing that with his economy his revenues are enough, that he can defend himself against all attacks, and is able to engage in enterprises without burdening his people; thus it comes to pass that he exercises liberality towards all from whom he does not take,” (Machiavelli, XVI).
            Generosity is a good thing in the case of Pope Julius II because he used generosity to get into the papacy.  “Caesar obtained empire by being liberal,” (Machiavelli, XVI).  A prince should not neglect any chance to be generous.  Liberality is necessary for princes who support their army with pillaging because otherwise the soldiers would not follow him.  Cyrus, Caesar, and Alexander were ready givers of “that which is neither yours nor your subjects’” (Machiavelli, XVI) because it “does not take away your reputation if you squander that of others, but adds to it; it is only squandering your own that injures you,” (Machiavelli, XVI).  Generosity is a good thing for a prince whenever is building up your reputation rather than damaging it.  Generosity can be used to gain the respect of citizens, and to build up the legacy of a prince.

4. Use The Beatitudes to argue against Machiavelli.

            The Beatitudes and the things that Machiavelli says in The Prince are very similar in the sense that they provide guidelines on how people or princes should live and lead their life.  The Beatitudes and the sayings of Machiavelli are also very contradictory in the way they guide the people.  The Beatitudes guide people only in the way of how to live a moral life and be a good person.  The Prince guides princes in the ways being a successful and reputable leader.  People should strive to follow the teachings of the Beatitudes, and should not follow the teachings of Machiavelli.  Machiavelli constantly speaks about the importance of doing whatever it takes to become successful; even if it comes to doing things that hurt others.  Machiavelli says in Chapter XVI, “It is wiser to have a reputation for meanness.”  This directly goes against the Beatitude which states, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”  Machiavelli is encouraging princes to show negativity and meanness towards the citizens which they are ruling.
            Machiavelli also largely talks about how war should be the most important thing for a prince to study.  In the Beatitudes it says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”  Machiavelli is constantly advising princes throughout the book to cause war rather than avoid it or put an end to it.  Machiavelli never encourages the princes to make peace or have a reputation for goodness.  Rather, he encourages princes to be the opposite of peaceful and good.  The Beatitudes also state, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy,” but throughout The Prince Machiavelli is telling princes to do whatever they can to get to the top, take part in and cause wars, and have a reputation for meanness.  The things that Machiavelli tells the princes to practice are going against what God says in the Beatitudes, and therefore, cannot actually be the right things to do.

5. Use Machiavelli to argue against The Beatitudes.

            The things that Machiavelli says in The Prince are very contradictory to the things that are stated in the Beatitudes; although, they both create guidelines on how princes or people should live and lead their lives.  The Prince focuses on how a prince should carry himself and lead his people.  The Beatitudes guide people through their moral life and how to do the right thing.  People should follow the teachings of Machiavelli in The Prince rather than those in the Beatitudes because Machiavelli can guide you in reaching success and power.  In a letter to his son he writes, “If you wish to please me, and to bring success and honour to yourself, do right and study, because others will help you if you help yourself,” (Introduction).  Machiavelli is telling his son to always be an honorable person if he wants to bring success to himself.  Machiavelli talks a lot about gaining not only power, but also glory.  “Yet it cannot be called talent to slay fellow-citizens, to deceive friends, to be without faith, without mercy, without religion; such methods may gain empire, but not glory,” (Machiavelli, VIII).
            Machiavelli also talked a lot about how giving too much mercy can actually cause lots of problems in a society.  The Beatitudes state, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy,” but Machiavelli contradicts this saying, “He will be more merciful than those who, through too much mercy, allow disorders to arise,” (Machiavelli, XVII).  If a prince shows too much mercy to his people he could be causing them to get away with dangerous things such as robbery or murder.  Sometimes this can apply to starting a war or murdering someone that will end up causing more trouble if they are not stopped.  The Beatitudes state, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God,” but sometimes may have to do something to protect his country that is not considered to be pure in heart.  The Beatitudes are constantly telling people to be peacemakers and to be merciful, but these things will hurt a prince more than help a prince.  A prince needs to do what is best for his country, and what will keep the citizens of his country safe.


Works Cited
"The Beatitudes." New International Version of the Bible. Matthew 5:3-12.
Nicolo Machiavelli, Initials. (1513). The Prince. Retrieved from http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/machiavelli-prince.html

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Key Terms for the AP Test

  1. 1450-1650
    • Humanism
      • Liberal arts: education in Classics (Greek and Roman Lit), Rhetoric, and History.
    • Christian Humanism
      • Study of Humanism in a Christian context.
      • Important name: Erasmus -- religious piety & institutional reform.
    • Vernacular
      • Everyday language of a people.
      • Important facts: Cervantes / Don Quixote, Chaucer / Canterbury Tales, Dante / Divine Comedy, Martin Luther
    • New Monarchs
      • Centralized bureaucracy and professional armies.
      • Charles VII, Louis XI, Henry VII, Ferdinand and Isabella.
    • Taille
      • Direct tax on the French peasantry.
    • Reconquista
      • Christian Spanish over Muslim Moors: 1492 last Muslim stronghold -- Granada -- overthrown.
    • Indulgence
      • Certificates sold by the papacy for the forgiveness of sin.
    • Anabaptist
      • Believed exclusively in adult baptism.  Also believed in complete separation of church and state.
    • Predestination
      • John Calvin: God has predetermined all things.
    • Huguenots
      • French Protestants who followed John Calvin.
    • Politiques
      • Ruler who puts political necessity above personal believe.  Example: Elizabeth I.
    • Columbian Exchange
      • Transfer of goods between the Americas and Europe.  Also includes slavery, animal transport, introduction of non-indigenous plants, and disease.
    • Mercantilism
      • Economic philosophy calling for close government regulation of the economy.  Maximizing exports and limiting imports.
    • Joint-Stock Company
      • Business where investors raise money for a venture no single one of them could afford.
    • Absolutism
      • Ruler claims sole and uncontestable power.  Example: Louis XIV
    • Divine Right of Kings
      • Idea that rulers received power and authority directly from God.
    • Intendants
      • French royal officials supervising provincial areas.  Key part of keeping the absolute monarchy the way it did.  The absolute monarch told the intendants what they wanted done and they did it for them.
    • Fronde
      • Series of rebellions against royal authority in France (1649-1652)

Monday, October 25, 2010

Holy Roman Empire Notes

  • The power of the centralized authority breaks down and you have the rise of the individual kingdoms.  
  • Frederick III is the Emperor through the middle and later part of the 15th century. 
  • He was a Habsburg, which was a powerful house in Germany. 
  • As we move into the 16th century, the empire is broken down into areas that will really influence the development of Germany. 
  • Austria and the Confederation of the Swiss become much more important.  
  • In the late 15th century Frederick III and his son, Maximilian, declare war against Hungary.
  • So the Holy Roman Empire declared war on Hungary.  
  • There is a general treaty called the Treaty of Worms signed that declares peace that lasts up until the early 19th century.  
  • In the early 15th century, Charles V of Spain becomes the Holy Roman Emperor by way of marriage. 
  • This creates an alliance between Germany and Spain.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Revised Scotland: William Wallace and Robert the Bruce

The English and the Scottish had very different views on the nationalism and identity of the Scots.  The English really did not like the Scots.  They viewed the Scotts as lower than them, and they wanted to be in control of the Scots.

The English viewed themselves very highly; they even called themselves holy.  They wanted to be in control of Scotland because they thought they were higher and more sophisticated than the Scots.  Because of this Scots resented the English and rebelled against their trying to be the rulers of Scotland.

The English captured William Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk and brutally killed him.  Wallace is thought of as a national hero in Scotland for leading a fight against the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

Robert the Bruce is also known as a national hero for being the King of Scotland and keeping Scotland from falling into English rule.  The Scottish despised being under English rule because the were treated so poorly.  The Scottish generally thought of themselves very highly.

In the Declaration of Arbroath, the Scottish say that if Robert the Bruce stopped protecting them from English rule, they would drive him out as an enemy.  They said that they would find someone else who could take his place, and as long as there were Scottish people remaining alive they would fight to the death to avoid English rule.

Revised Henry VIII's Divorce from Catherine and His Split from the Catholic Church

Was Henry VIII justified in divorcing Catherine and making himself head of the Church of England?

Henry VIII quickly chose to sign the Act of Supremacy in order to have chief authority over the Catholic Church.  The Act of Supremacy states, "Be it enacted, by authority of this present Paliament, that the king, our sovereign lord, his heirs and successors, kings of this realm, shall be taken, accepted, and reputed the only supreme head in earth of the Church of England," (http://www.thenagain.info/Classes/Sources/ActSupremacy.html).  This would allow him to divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn.  Henry VIII wanted to divorce Catherine of Aragon because she could not give him a son to be the heir to the throne.  He wanted to marry Anne Boleyn because she was young and he believed that she would be able to produce a son as the heir.  When Henry made himself head of the Catholic Church he severed all ties to the Vatican and the Pope, which made him not only King of England, but also primary leader and decision-maker for the Catholic Church.  Now that Henry was the leader of the Church he could basically do whatever he wanted, including marrying and divorcing any woman that he wanted whenever he wanted.  This greatly upset Catherine of Aragon because she was Henry's current wife and she would remain loyal to him until her dying day.  If he really loved Catherine he would stay married to her no matter what, even if she could not produce a son.  Catherine tried many times to have children, but many were miscarried or died within a few days after being born.  Henry was truly not justified in divorcing Catherine and making himself head of the Church of England because he made enemies with many different people who used to respect him and his authority. 

In divorcing Catherine and making himself head of the Church, Henry greatly angered the Holy Roman Empire specifically.  The Holy Roman Empire had a more religious point of view of the situation and they believed that Henry VIII was pushing his power to the limits and making decisions that were truly not under his control.  The Holy Roman Empire along with the Vatican were extremely powerful at the time period of Henry's reign, and they felt that Henry was completely taking over the position as leader.  The emperor of the Holy Roman Empire at the time of Henry VIII's reign was Charles V who happened to be the son of Catherine of Aragon's sister, Joanna of Castile.  This means that Catherine had ties to the Holy Roman Empire.  Henry VIII was trying to get permission from the Holy Roman Emperor to annul his marriage to Catherine, which is probably why Charles refused him the ability to do so.  Charles was Catherine's nephew and he was not going to give permission to Henry to divorce his own aunt.  "Charles V had been warring with the Papal states- and had Pope Clement VII on house arrest.  The Pope was under extreme pressure from Charles V.  The Pope was therefore unlikely to want to great Henry this annulment," (http://www.monarchgenealogy.com/habsburghistory.htm).  Although it was not necessarily fair for Charles V to make such a biased decision, Henry VIII should not have made such an extreme choice to cut off England from their true religious leaders: the Holy Roman Empire.

Another person who had to be extremely angered and upset by this whole situation had to be Catherine of Aragon herself.  All of the years she had spent being faithful to Henry meant absolutely nothing to him now that she could not produce a male heir for the throne.  Catherine did in fact have a child with Henry, but it was a girl named Mary and that was not enough to please Henry.  Because Catherine could not produce a male heir, Henry believed that their marriage was cursed and he wanted absolutely nothing to do with Catherine any longer.  This was extremely upsetting to Catherine because she tried multiple times to give him a son, but it never happened for her.  Throughout everything that happened between Henry and Catherine she remained faithful and loyal to him no matter what, and she never stopped loving him even after he divorced her.  In Catherine's last letter to Henry before her death she states, "Lastly, I make this vow, that mine eyes desire you above all things," (http://englishhistory.net/tudor/letter5.html).  Surely Catherine, along with many others, surely believed that it was not right for Henry to divorce her just because she could not produce a male heir.

There were many other people who would usually be in support of Henry VIII that did not in any way support his decision to separate from the Church.  One of these people was Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.  Wolsey was King Henry's chief minister, and he held a very powerful position as well as a close friendship with Henry.  Wolsey, although very close with the King, did not agree with his idea to split away from the Church and become the prime religious leader.  "He wrote to the court of Rome and to several other princes letters reproaching the king, and as much as he was able stirred them to revenge his case against the King and his realm," (http://englishhistory.net/tudor/priwols1.html).  Although he was against King Henry's idea, he still did all he could to get the annulment for Henry's marriage to Catherine, but he was unsuccessful.  Wolsey was executed because of this.  Wolsey did not deserve to be executed for such a petty thing.  This shows that King Henry was so absorbed in the idea of splitting from the Church and marrying Catherine that he was willing to kill someone who was his friend.  The fact that someone so close to the King, like Wolsey, went against him and did not agree with him in separating from the Church, shows that what Henry was doing was not right.

The opinions of Catherine, Thomas Wolsey, and Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire show that what Henry did was not justifiable.  There were some people who agreed with the King in splitting from England, but there were many more that thought what Henry wanted to do was simply not right.  Henry should have listened to the people around him like Thomas Wolsey and rethought the irrational idea of splitting from the Church of England just so he could get divorced from Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn.  King Henry VIII let getting a male heir blind him from seeing how his actions would truly affect the future of England.  Along with this he hurt the one woman who truly loved him, Catherine of Aragon.

Works Cited:

"The Act of Supremacy." Then Again. . . Web. 30 Sept. 2010.            <http://www.thenagain.info/Classes/Sources/ActSupremacy.html>.
"The Holy Roman Empire’s Imperial Diet: Electoral Votes in 1792." The Napoleon Series. Web. 30 Sept. 2010. <http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/government/c_holyroman.html>.
"Habsburg History - European Monarch Genealogy." Welcome - European Monarch Genealogy. Web. 30 Sept. 2010. <http://www.monarchgenealogy.com/habsburghistory.htm>.
Catherine of Aragon. "Primary Sources - Letter of Katharine of Aragon to Her Husband, King Henry VIII, 7 January 1536." EnglishHistory.net. Web. 30 Sept. 2010. <http://englishhistory.net/tudor/letter5.html>.
Hall, Edward. "Primary Sources: The Fall of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, 1530."EnglishHistory.net. Web. 30 Sept. 2010. <http://englishhistory.net/tudor/priwols1.html>.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

The Medici Family Notes

  1. Cosimo is his son and he takes over Florence
  2. Lorenzo is Cosimo's grandson
    • Lorenzo is the patron of Michelangelo
      • Lorenzo would give money to Michelangelo to create sculptures, paintings, tombs
  3. Michelangelo created the sculpture of David, "the Pieta," images in the Sistine Chapel
  4. In the Italian Renaissance they took a lot of pride in the Italian history of antiquity
    • They were painting and sculpting in styles that they thought classical antiquity was like
  5. We tie humanist in with Lorenzo
  6. When Cosimo died Florence faced uncertainty
  7. Lorenzo was born into great privilege as a scholar
  8. Lorenzo is not the businessman that Cosimo was
  9. He begins to have ill relations with the pope
  10. The Pazzi family were rivals of the Medici family
  11. Lorenzo was not good at being diplomatic
    • The Vatican owed the Medici family money and he insisted that they repaid it
    • The Vatican created an alliance with the Pazzi so that they could take out the Medici family
  12. The Pazzi took matters into their own hands
    • Rumors of the conspiracy spread of their plan to assassinate the Medici brothers
    • On Easter Sunday at mass in the cathedral in 1478, they assassinated Guiliano de Medici was stabbed and killed
    • Lorenzo was wounded but not killed
    • The plotters were killed
    • Medici power now hung by a thread
  13. Lorenzo heard that the pope had ordered troops to wipe out the Medici
  14. Lorenzo fled Florence
    • He traveled to Naples in 1479
    • He arrives with money and gifts
  15. Lorenzo had saved Florence from destruction
  16. Lorenzo was hailed by Florence when he returned
  17. His experiences changed him and he worked to protect his family
  18. He adopted his brother's son who could now be the heir
  19. Lorenzo commissioned work from artists
    • He discovered Leonardo Davinci
  20. Botticelli was Leonardo's rival
    • He created "The Birth of Venus"
  21. Savonarola challenged the Medici and believed they lived in excess
  22. He believed that they were sinful for the paintings and they way lived
  23. Lorenzo's wife died of Tuberculosis in 1487
  24. In 1488 he established the first art school in history
    • This is where he first spotted Michelangelo
    • He brought Michelangelo into his family to live with his seven children
  25. Lorenzo is Michelangelo's patron
  26. His talent was traditional but also classical legends
  27. Michelangelo was born in 1475 and lived to 1564; his last name is Buonarroti
  28. He first began with marble and stone sculpting
  29. He was an arrogant man; he was abusive and antisocial
  30. Savonarola believed that Lorenzo was leading to the downfall of Florence
  31. Florence was split between people who wanted a secular lifestyle and those who agreed with Savonarola
  32. Florence had reached new heights of culture, but Lorenzo loosened his grip on the family business
  33. Some of the Medici banks were forced to close and the family's network was falling apart
  34. Lorenzo's friends saw that Savonarola's predictions were beginning to come true
  35. Lorenzo became ill and he turned to the Church
  36. Giovanni was already a cardinal (Lorenzo's son)
  37. Lorenzo knew he was dying and he feared eternal damnation
    • He brought Savonarola to his death bed and he damned Lorenzo
  38. He died at the age of 43, fearing hell
  39. Botticelli embraced Christianity with the change of the world around him
  40. Prostitutes were beaten and homosexuals burned; artwork and jewelry were burned
  41. Savonarola organized a public burning of books, wigs, cosmetics, and jewelry
  42. Even Botticelli joined in and burnt his paintings for fear of damnation
  43. This time was known as the Bonfire of the Vanities
  44. Florence was in search of salvation and had become a vision of hell
  45. Lorenzo put too much of his effort into the arts and forgot about the political side
  46. At this time popes were in it for money and power rather than the religious side
  47. The principalities warred against each other
    • Most powerful were Milan, Florence, Pisa, Sienna, Genoa, Ferrara, Mantua, Verona, Venice
  48. In the north of Italy there was ongoing feuding between the Vatican and the Holy Roman Empire
  49. During the 15th century many of the powerful city states annexed the smaller cities
    • Annexed- took them and made them part of their own
  50. Florence was one of the cities that annexed the town of Pisa in 1406
  51. Nearby Milan annexed areas around it to grow larger
  52. There was constant battle going on throughout central Italy
    • Usually carried out by mercenaries
    • Soldiers from around Europe were lead by Italian generals in campaigns
    • One of the major strategies of these campaigns was siege warfare
      • You surround the town and starve them out
  53. There were also major battles going on at sea
  54. By 1454, Florence, Milan, and Venice were the three major powers in Central Italy
    • They signed the Treaty of Lodi
      • Will last for a few decades
      • Relative peace in central and northern Italy
  55. Exploration happens during this time
    • Columbus goes to Spain to get money to sail to the New World
    • When the Spanish explorers get to South America they find raw materials
      • Raw materials have a lot to do with bolstering the economies of these countries
  56. The Albizzi used to be the leading family in Florence and they were very jealous of the Medici
  57. Giovanni Medici created the bank
  58. Cosimo made it become the biggest bank
  59. The Medici were so popular in Florence because they had money, the pope liked them because they bankrolled him into the papacy
  60. The Medici are very much the beloved family in Florence

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Italian Renaissance Notes

  1. Cosimo Medici's dad bankrolled the pope to the papacy
  2. So now, if anyone is doing business with the pope, they do it through the Medici family
  3. The Medici family with its money, fuels
  4. Principalities were places of autonomous monarchal rule
    • A prince or a duke would be the Renaissance equivalent of the old land barons in the Middle Ages
  5. Big principalities of Italy: Sienna, Urbino, Perugio, Florence
  6. Sienna
    • Sort of in north-central Italy, about four hours north of Rome
    • Autonomous: It has no outside political governance; it is not ruled by the Holy Roman Empire
  7. Urbino
    • A relatively small city
    • Looks very much like a Medieval city
    • Citadel and tower for the time period
  8. Perugia
    • In the center of Italy; two hours north of Rome
  9. Florence
    • Right in the heart of the Tuscan Valley
    • Wine country
    • Very fertile valley for harvest

Entertainment in Perugia, Italy

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g187907-Activities-Perugia_Umbria.html
  • Let's Cook in Umbria; "let's cook in Umbria offers cooking holidays and cooking classes in a spectacular location (Umbria, Perugia,Italy)"
  • Perugina Chocolate Factory; "This factory features a museum devoted to the history of chocolate manufacturing - a mouth-watering tribute to Perugia, Italy's chocolate capital."
  • Cathedral of San Pietro; "Founded in the 10th century and rebuilt in 1463, this grand Gothic cathedral is a worthwhile stop when visiting Perugia."
  • Galleria Navionale dell'Umbria Palazzo dei Priori; "Located in the grand Palazzo dei Priori, this twelve-room gallery takes visitors thorough the history of Umbrian painting, featuring works by Perugino and Pinturrichio, in addition to two stunning Tuscan masterpieces (Fra Angelico, Piero della Francesca) and early Sienese works (Duccio)."
  • Lake Trasemino; "Lake Trasimeno is located in the heart of Italy, which makes it an ideal base for visiting Umbria and Tuscany, as well as providing unspoiled nature and a refuge of birds and fish for outdoor enthusiasts."
  • San Severo
  • Porta San Pietro
  • National Archaeological Museum
  • Pozzo Etrusco
  • Duomo
  • Exchange Guild; "Perugia's Exchange Guild, the home of the region's money changers, dates from the thirteenth-century and boasts some of Italy's best preserved Renaissance frescoes painted by Perugino."
  • Arco d'Agusto and Sant'Angelo
  • Fontana Maggiore
  • Museo Regionale della Ceramica; "This is indeed a specialty museum. Picture case after case of pieces of pottery of every conceivable style, shape and quality, with little in the way of description. Deruta is known as a regional..."
  • Old Town
  • Corso Vanucci; "Many of Perugia's most beautiful and historically significant attractions can be found on or near this street."
  • Piazza IV Novembre; "This is the artistic center of Perugia that features beautiful reliefs carved in the 13 century, a stunning gothic cathedral and the superb Italian medieval palace, the Palazzo Priori, which houses the National Art Gallery of Umbria"
  • Church of San Domenico; "This Gothic Church of San Domenico houses an archaeological museum."
  • University for Foreigners in Palazzo Galenga; "Founded at the beginning of the 20th century, this is one of the most important centers of Italian language study and culture for foreign students. The Gallenga Stuart Palace, built in the XVIII century, hosts the University."
  • Via Baglioni; "This street was named after the Baglioni family, one of the most powerful in Perugia."
http://www.letsgo.com/17810-umbria-travel-guides-perugia-nightlife_and_festivals-c
Cathedral of San Pietro
http://www.italianvisits.com/images/lombardia-im/mantova-im/mantova_cathedral_of_san_pietro.jpg

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Machiavelli Notes

  • He was based in Florence most of his life
  • Considered to be the beginning of political science
  • Most known for The Prince which was written in 1513 but not published until after his death
  • The book became influential on politicians during the renaissance
  • He was born into one of the leading family's of Florence
  • His father was a lawyer
  • At this time, Florence is being run by powerful families and as well there are all these outside pressures from France and the Holy Roman Empire and Spain
  • He was brought up well-educated as a nobleman
  • He wrote The Art of War a book about military science

Monday, October 11, 2010

The Holy Roman Empire Notes

  • The Holy Roman Empire
    • Great Britain ruled a whole lot of Europe
    • When it fell, there was disarray and disorder
    • People, in order to be safe, clustered together
    • Charlemagne was appointed the first Holy Roman Emperor in order to restore order and take control of the city states
    • Didn't control Italy and the Vatican and its important cities
  • The Late Middle Ages (1000-1400)
    • Northern Italy
      • City-states were controlled by powerful families
      • They became republics
        • Republic of Milan, Republic of Florence
    • Southern Italy
      • Always was influenced by Greece
      • Many cities -- such as Sicily -- had Greek names
  • Each region of Italy is run by its own wealthy family
    • The Medici's were a big family
  • In the Late Middle Ages, a lot of the art was the same
  • Referred to as "Byzantine icon"
  • Giotto
    • The first painter to experiment with other styles of painting
    • Painted on big walls in churches
    • Fresco Painting -- Painting into wet plaster so the paint dries as a part of the wall
    • His paintings were scenes and the people looked realistic
    • He told a story with his paintings
    • Painted exclusively for Church patrons, so they were all religious (mostly New Testament)
  • Fra Angelico
    • Some perspective
    • More than one scene showed
    • More detail
  • Filippo Brunelleschi and Cosimo Medici
    • Brunelleschi was architect and engineer of the Florence Cathedral dome
    • At the time, it was the largest dome in the world
    • His style was unorthodox, so he was not well-liked in the business
    • Was sponsored by the Medici's, Cosimo being the head
    • Cosimo's mentor was Giovanni Medici, who sponsored a  man to become Pope
    • Giovanni died, and Cosimo lost his advisor
    • Cosimo took his father's place
    • Had to fit into his father's shoes, but make sure he was hidden enough to not be challenged
    • A conflict of families would be bad for Italy
    • Brunelleschi "would spark an architectural revolution across Europe,"
    • Backed by the Medici's, he tried to figure out a solution to the lack of dome on the Cathedral
    • Used a code to prevent people from stealing his plan
    • Looked to Ancient Rome for inspiration after he had gotten backing from the Church
      • Pantheon building and it's dome
    • Didn't have enough wood for scaffold, and it would need a whole lot more concrete
    • Had to succeed not only for himself, but for Cosimo too
    • Used chains and rails and bricks too complete it
    • Cosimo was summoned by the government and was put into a prison by his enemies
    • Before killing him, they had to get permission from the people of Florence (?)
    • He was accused of treason, and while his friends and supporters were physically restrained, people voted and Cosimo was found guilty
    • But, he bribed his jailers to let him out of his cell
    • Cosimo fled Florence, the Medici bank closed, and Florence fell
    • Brunelleschi was thrown into jail and work on the dome stopped
    • Cosimo waited to return, despite his supporters' advice
    • Cosimo later retook the city from the Albizzi family w/ his papal allies
    • Brunelleschi began work on the dome again
    • The Medici bank was re-established
    • Collected money from the Church ,which was allowed because of the Medici's connections
    • Became the most profitable business in Europe
    • Cosimo invested much of his money into the arts