Renaissance and Reformation in Europe Study Guide

Humanism- An intellectual movement in which people began to praise human potential and achievement, it rediscovered Classical Greek and Roman art, literature, and civilization. It is also one of the main characteristics of the Renaissance

Patron (age) – It is a wealthy person who supports an artist by funding and purchasing their work in order to show their personal prestige and power, they allowed artists to create works of art and writings.

Perspective- An art technique of illustrating three dimensions through distance and shading, it created realistic art which was prevalent during the Renaissance.

Secularism- When people become more concerned with worldly concerns instead of religious worries. It is the major characteristic of the Renaissance and was a returning to the Classical Greek and Roman eras

Vernacular- The language that is spoken by the people in a country or area, books started to be written in a native language during this time. This allowed more people to become literate.

Baldassare Castiglione- (1528) He was an Italian author who wrote “The Book of the Courtier” which taught how to be a Universal or Renaissance man. He believed that a young man should be talented as well as educated. It spread humanism through Europe and created the concept as to a real gentleman. It was also the basis of the idea of a “Renaissance man” in the Italian Renaissance.

Miguel de Cervantes- (born 1547) He was a Spanish writer who is considered to be the greatest Spanish writer of all time, he wrote “Don Quijote” which is considered to be the first novel written.

Donatello- (1460s) He was an Italian sculptor from Florence, he is well known for his realistic statues that seemed to capture life itself. One of his most sculpted figures is David, a biblical hero and king; it was the first European sculpture that was free-standing and large for its size. His sculptures allowed the development of perspective techniques that are used today.

Albrecht Durer- (1494) He was a Northern Renaissance German artist who traveled to Italy to study. He made woodcuts and engravings which portrayed religious characters, myths, or landscapes. His work helped spread the Renaissance influence and the realism style throughout Europe. He also influenced Han Holbein, another German artist.

Elizabeth I- (born 1533) She was the queen of England from 1558 to 1603, she returned England to Protestantism and created the Church of England or the Anglican Church. She also supported the English Renaissance in the mid-1500s including Shakespeare. She contributed to the Reformation by rejecting the Roman Catholics and creating the Church of England, this pleased moderate Protestants & Catholics.

Desiderius Erasmus- (1509) A Dutch Christian humanist who was a Northern Renaissance scholar, he is known for writing “The Praise of Folly.” He believed that Christianity at heart is more important than ceremonies or rules and that studying the bible will improve society. He believed in reform of the church because the church needed to focus on religious duties and the bible instead of sacraments.

Johann Gutenburg- (1440) A German craftsman who developed the first printing press that could produce books cheaply and quickly, his first book was the Gutenburg bible. His invention allowed more information to be available and cheap for society, more literacy in Europe, and an increased need for learning and education among society

Leonardo da Vinci- (born 1452) An Italian painter, sculptor, inventor, and scientist, he is known as the “true Renaissance man” because he excelled in many subjects and was a fantastic artist. He is well known for his painting “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper,” he also created many notebooks of his observations and studies. His discoveries were a major influence in the development of future technologies such as advanced infrastructure and airplanes. He also established the true idea of a Renaissance man for his achievements.

Machiavelli- (1513) An Italian statesman and author who wrote “The Prince,” this illustrated the ideas of what makes a powerful and effective ruler. He believed that a ruler must be strong and intelligent, and appear kind and wise. He introduced many political ideas which were used after his time and established his idea that “one should rule with an iron hand in a velvet glove.”

Medici Family- They were a powerful banking family which took control of Florence in 1434. Because of their wealth, they were patrons of the Renaissance and commissioned many artists and beautified Italy.

Michelangelo Buonarroti- (born 1475) He was an Italian (Florentine) sculptor, painter, poet, and architect; who used a realistic style when illustrating the human body. He is well known for painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and his painting “The Last Judgment.” By painting and sculpting the human body realistically, he established the technique of perspective in paintings.

Sir Thomas More- An English Christian humanist who wrote “Utopia,” a book who illustrated his ideal world to live in. His writings were then translated to many languages after becoming popular. He was beheaded by Henry VIII for refusing to join the Church of England because of his devout Catholicism.

Francesco Petrarch- (1304) An Italian poet, scholar, and humanist who is called “the father of Renaissance humanism.” This is because he wrote in the vernacular or his native language, Italian, as well as Latin. He was one of the first people to spread the idea of humanism and writing in the vernacular by encouraging people to study literature and philosophy of the past.

Raphael- (born 1483) An Italian painter and architect who advanced realism in paintings by his use of perspective, his is renowned for his painting “School of Athens” which showed the classical influence on the Renaissance. His art illustrated secular ideas by painting humans realistically, layered backgrounds, & his depiction of detailed emotion. He is one of the three greatest artists of the Renaissance.

William Shakespeare- (born 1564) An English playwright, poet, and author during the Elizabethan Age. His works were heavily inspired by Roman and Greek literature and showcases secular themes like love, human nature, and relationships. He is well known for “Macbeth”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Hamlet”, “A Midsummer’s Night Dream”, and more.

Jan van Eyck- (born 1390) A Flemish painter who developed many oil painting techniques that are still used by modern painters. His painters were very realistic and used subtle colors to bring out detail. His paintings were secular and tend to focus on people and their personalities. He is well known for his painting the “Arnolfini Portrait.”

Italian Renaissance vs. Northern Renaissance- The Northern Renaissance was centered on Eastern Europe and emphasized the lives of peasants. They also created new technologies and had more Christian humanism; eventually they began the Reformation and Protestantism. The Southern Renaissance focused on art and culture and Roman and Greek ideals. The Italian Renaissance was centered in the South of Europe and the wealthy class, they were also mostly Roman Catholic.

Renaissance Man- In the Renaissance, he would be a gentleman who was talented in many fields such as music, art, dancing, and writing. He was also very intellectual and could speak many different languages. Leonardo da Vinci was considered to be the true Renaissance man because of his achievements. The hope of becoming a Renaissance man was humanist ideal and was desired by everyone.

Annul(ment)- To cancel or declare invalid such as a marriage. Henry VIII had the Church annul his marriage with Catherine because he needed to have a son as his heir because of past turmoil among England. He later reformed the parliament which ended the Pope’s authority in England, he then married Anne Boelyn.

Excommunicate- To banish a person from a membership of the Church. Pope Leo X excommunicated Martin Luther from the Catholic Church after he posted his 95 Theses for heresy.

Heretic- One who has an unorthodox opinion that is contradicting or controversial to the Church’s teachings. Many Protestant followers and reformers were declared heretics of the Catholic church and executed or excommunicated, like Martin Luther or Jan Huss.

Indulgences- A pardon given by the church for a sin, they were usually rewarded for doing good works but after the Church needed money, they began to sell them. Martin Luther was highly against the selling of indulgences and wrote the 95 theses attacking them. They were eventually not allowed to be sold after the Council of Trent.

Nepotism- Appointing high positions to relatives. This was one of the religious reasons why many people were discontent of the Church’s authority among the clergy.

Predestination- The belief that God has decided all things already including salvation. This was written in a doctrine by John Calvin, and is a main belief in Calvinism. This also led the “Protestant work ethic” because of the belief that those who currently have a hardworking and rewarding life are part of the “elect” or those who will be saved.

Recant- A formal retraction of a statement that was committed to before. After Martin Luther posted his 95 theses, the Catholic Church gave him a change to take back his statements and retain his position as a monk. Martin Luther refused and was excommunicated from the Holy Roman Empire.

Sacraments- A sacred ceremony of significance among the Catholic Church, these include baptism, marriage, and communion. Martin Luther rejected these Church ceremonies and said that they were not valid and not part of the bible. His values revolved around the bible and believed that it is more important to live by faith.

Salvation- The redemption after death of being taken to heaven. The Catholic Church believed that to reach salvation, one must do good works. Martin Luther however believed that salvation came in faith.

Sect- Groups or branches of different religions among a single religion such as Roman Catholicism or Lutheranism. Luther and his followers created Protestantism which has many sects among itself.

Simony- The selling of church positions or to have rituals performed by paying a priest. Many people criticized the church of such act which then led to the Reformation of Christianity.

Theocracy- A government ruled by a religious authority. John Calvin, a reformer, believed that the best political structure was ruled by the church. His city, Geneva, was a model city with strict values governed by a theocracy.

Usury- The practice of banking and making a profit by charging interest at a very high rate. This was one of the economic causes of the Reformation. People did not understand why the church was wealthy while the people were poor and expected to give money to the church.

Anabaptists- A radical reformation movement that believed that people should be baptized as an adult when they choose to be Christian. They were persecuted by the Catholic Church as well as Protestants because of their radical and unorthodox views.

Anne Boelyn- The second wife (Protestant) of Henry VIII who gave birth to Elizabeth. Henry VIII married her after he created the Church of England and validated his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. This was when England broke away from the papacy’s control.

John Calvin- A Swiss reformer who established his ideas of predestination or the belief that God has decided everything including salvation, these people chosen to be saved were called the “elect.” After being persecuted in his country, he moved to Geneva where he was invited to set up a theocracy. Geneva became the model city of Calvinism because of their strict and pious lives. He expanded the teachings of Luther and Protestantism.

Catherine of Aragon- She was Henry VIII’s first wife. After she gave birth to Mary (a Catholic), Henry VIII decided to divorce her in order to remarry and have a son for an heir to his throne in England. Henry VIII established the Church of England and declared England free from the Pope’s control over the church in order to divorce Catherine and marry Anne Boelyn.

Charles V- He was the King of Spain and the Holy Roman Emperor during the Reformation and a devout Catholic. After the Protestantism began, he called for the Council of Trent which started the Catholic Reformation or the Counter Reformation. At the Peace of Augsburg, he legalized Protestantism and allow the ruler to choose the religion of their local lands. He eventually retires and splits his empire with his two sons, including Phillip II, thus the empire is no longer united.

Edward VI- The son of Jan Seymour and Henry VIII. He began ruling at the age of 9 and had advisors rule for him because he was too young and sickly to rule. England remains Protestant during his short lived rule.

Elizabeth I- The daughter of Anne Boelyn and Henry VIII, after Mary’s rule, she reinstated the Church of England (or Anglican Church) and made it the official religion of England. She added Catholic and Protestant rituals and services in order to appease both moderate sides. Although Henry VIII created the foundation for the Church of England, Elizabeth instituted it and made it official.

Henry VIII- The King of England during the Reformation, after Catherine of Aragon does not give birth to a son, he asks Pope Clement VII to annul his marriage. However, the Pope doesn’t annul the marriage because of Catherine’s nephew, Charles V, who has been defending Catholicism. Henry VIII then left the Catholic Church and created the Act of Supremacy which established a new Church, the Church of England, and condemns Catholicism. Although England is no longer Catholic, they retain some Catholic rituals but are no longer under the power of the Pope.

Henry IV of Navarre- King of France from 1589-1610. After his wedding feast in Paris, the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre began and about 20,000 Huguenots were killed. He converted to Catholicism for France (“Paris is worth a Mass”) and instituted the Edict of Nantes which allowed religious freedom, which was short lived and removed by his sons eventually.

Huguenots- French Protestants. About 20,000 of them were killed in the massacre of St’s Bartholomew’s Day after the Catholic feast. They enjoyed short lived religious freedom after Henry IV passed the Edict of Nantes.

Jan Hus- A Czechoslovakian reformer who wanted authority over their personal relationship with God. He and John Wycliffe were one of the first people to challenge the Catholic Church’s authority before Martin Luther.

Ignatius of Loyola- A Spanish Saint who founded the Society of Jesus which was made of the Jesuits. They spread Catholicism by sending missionaries, founded universities, and tried to make Church more pleasant and lively.

Jesuits- They were created by Ignatius of Loyola and confirmed by the Pope in 1540. They spread Catholicism by sending missionaries, founded universities, and made churches more pleasant and open. They tried to fight the reformation by trying to stop the spread of Protestantism and regain the areas lost to Protestantism.

John Knox- A Scottish preacher who established Calvin’s ideas by changing the Church organization, his followers are known as Presbyterians. He was one of the leaders of the Scottish reformation and established Calvin’s ideas in a working Church system which is known as Presbyterianism.

Martin Luther- German leading reformer who had a revelation that faith, not work, will give him salvation. He wanted the church to stop selling indulgences and demanded reform. He posted the 95 theses which attacked the sale of indulgences. He was the leading reformer who defied the Catholic Church’s authority and was excommunicated, he then created Protestantism.

Presbyterians- Followers of John Knox after his reforms based on Calvin’s ideas. It is a system of Church government which was governed by Elders or presbyters.

Puritans- A group of radical English Protestants who saw the Reformation of the Church of England invalid and wanted to control worship and religion.

Johann Tetzel- A friar who sold indulgences in order to earn money to rebuild St. Peter’s Cathedral, he made the idea that buying indulgences will buy them into heaven. Martin Luther was against Tetzel’s actions and wrote the 95 Theses which attacked the selling of indulgences.

Mary Tudor-The daughter of Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII, after being thrown out from Henry and Catherine’s divorce, she is crowned Queen after Edward VI. Angered by Henry’s actions, she reinstates Catholicism and declares the Church of England invalid, she persecutes many Protestants. After her death, Elizabeth I is crowned and returns England to the Church of England or the Anglican Church.

John Wycliffe- An English reformer who believed that the Pope should be religious not political, and that the people should be able to interpret the bible themselves. He also believed that the bible should be accessible to all people and be written in the vernacular. His beliefs were the foundation before the Reformation and he was one of the first people to challenge the church’s authority.

Act of Supremacy- An act that declared Henry VIII the head of the Church of England not the Pope. This established the Church of England independent from the Catholic Church; the Church of England still retained many Catholic rituals and sacraments.

Council of Trent- (1545-1563) As a response to the Protestant Churches, many important religious officials met and decided on several Protestant reforms in order to keep followers and bring back Protestants. They decided that fate and good works leads you to salvation, Priests must go through Seminary or training, and established a list of forbidden works (including Galileo). They also banned the sale of indulgences but earning indulgences are still upheld.

Counter Reformation (Catholic Reformation)-It was begun in response to Protestant reforms and to keep followers and bring back Protestants. The Council of Trent was held and established many Catholic guidelines. The Inquisition was also begun and the Jesuits were established by Ignatius of Loyola.

Diet of Worms- Charles V established this assembly to make Luther an outlaw and heretic after the Pope wanted Luther to be an outsider of the church. He also banished Luther from the Holy Roman Empire. Frederick of Saxony housed Luther in his castle, while the printing press spread Luther’s ideas quickly.

Edict of Nantes- It was granted by Henry IV of France after he converted to Catholicism. It gave religious freedom or tolerance to Protestants or Huguenots and allowed them to practice their own fate. This however was short lived and eventually retracted by Henry’s sons.

Great Schism- Also known as the Papal Schism, two different men claimed to be the real Pope, one from Rome and one from France. There was much infighting and disagreement among the two authorities and the Catholic Church. It was also believed that the Pope of France was serving France not Catholicism because of France’s political power. It caused much tension and fighting among the Church and led them to not being united, which allowed the Reformation to take place years later.

Index of Prohibited Books- A list of forbidden works in Catholicism was established at the Council of Trent. These works were accused of heretic ideas that contradicted the teachings of the Church which included Luther’s works, John Milton’s writings, and even Galileo’s scientific discoveries. This increased stricter guidelines and discipline among Catholics and helped prevented the spread of Protestantism.

Inquisition- A court established during the Catholic Reformation that allowed people to recant their heresy or sins in order to be cleansed of their sins, if not, they were excommunicated or executed. It was originally done with Jewish and Muslim people but now with Protestants. This was an attempt of the Catholic Church to stop the spread of Protestantism but Protestants remained strong.

95 Theses- They were Martin Luther’s writings after Johann Tetzel sold indulgences and gave the idea that you could buy your way to heaven. He also addressed many hierarchy issues among in the document; it was the foundation of the Reformation and challenging Catholic Churches.

Peace of Augsburg- Charles V established called for a meeting after fighting among countries about Protestantism and Catholicism, he decided that the rulers of their local lands will decide the religion of their area. This put a stop to the fighting among countries and some of the prosecution of Protestants.

Peace of Westphalia- A peace treaty that was signed at the end of the Thirty Years’ War, it finally acknowledges the Peace of Augsburg and allowed the rulers to choose the religion of their region.

Peasants’ Revolt- (1524) After Luther’s ideas of Christian freedom, peasants revolted and attacked monasteries and religious areas, Luther then told the German princes to stop the revolt which killed nearly 100,000 people. The peasants felt betrayed and rejected Luther’s ideas and leadership.

Thirty Years’ War- (1618-1648) A complex war that started as a religious conflict of Protestants against Catholics which turned to political conflict over power. It led to strange alliances and moved towards issues of balance of power, for example, Catholic France and Protestant countries allied to fight Hapsburg’s (Catholic) power. It ended with the Peace of Westphalia which acknowledged the Peace of Augsburg and allowed rulers to choose the religion for their country.