1. Impact of Crusades

• Series of religious wars between Muslims and Christians
• Ultimately resulted in the victory of the Muslims also provided an impetus(driving force) to Renaissance.
• As a result of the Crusades the Western scholars came in contact with the East which was more civilized and polished than the Christians.
• Many western scholars went to university in middle east
  • They shared the ideas and knowledge that they gained there to the western world (Europe)
• The crusades helped set up trade routes between the east and europe

2. Revolutionising trade routes

• Europe experienced strong economic growth.
• The trade routes from the Italian city states linked to many ports and eventually created a network trading system across Europe
• The city-states of Italy expanded greatly during this period, and grew in power
• During this period, the modern commercial infrastructure developed, with double-entry bookkeeping, an international banking system, a systematized foreign exchange market, insurance, and government debt.
  • Florence became the centre of this financial industry, due to the presence of the Medici family

Medici Family - Had a huge effect on renaissance

• The House of Medici was an Italian banking family, political dynasty
  • They controlled florence with its power
• The bank was the largest in Europe during the 15th century, which helped the Medici gain political power in florence
  • they dominated their city’s government, they were able to bring Florence under their family’s power, and they created an environment where art and Humanism could flourish.
• The biggest accomplishments of the Medici were in the sponsorship of art and architecture, mainly early and High Renaissance art and architecture. The Medici were responsible for the majority of Florentine art during their reign.
• Their wealth and influence initially derived from the textile trade

3. Printing Press

• Without printing press knowledge could not have spread for and wide.

  • More info in the previous notes

• Unlike the Italian Renaissance that was influenced by Ancient Rome, the Northern Renaissance used Christian sources to propel the movement. The Northern Renaissance continued to emphasize the role of an individual but combined the individual with a religious tone that wasn't apparent in the Italian Renaissance.