European History

The Papacy was moved to Avignon for this period, following disagreements between the French and the HRE

Plague kills 1/3 of European population. Religion somewhat ignored, value of human and work goes up, puts more money in hands of peasants.

Papacy moved to Avignon, Two men simultaneously claim papal throne, Council of Pisa fails to resolve and elects third ineffective Pope.

Cosimo de Medici begins Medici dynasty in Florence, which lasted until 1537

The Medici family had a pervasive influence throughout Europe from the 15th to the 17th centuries. Producing French leaders, Florentine leaders, Popes and banking tycoons. Medicis were patrons of the arts.
Important names:
-Giovanni de Medici (founder of Medici Bank)
-Cosimo de Medici (began Medici dynasty when he came to power in Florence)
-Lorenzo de Medici (Ruled Florence after Cosimo through the height of the Italian Renaissance, became patron of many famous artists)
-Catherine de Medici (Queen Regent of France)
-Pope Leo X
Pope Clement VII
Pope Leo XI

Johannes Gutenberg invents movable type, rise of printing press. Biggest revolution in communication until the Internet

Byzantine’s Constantinople falls to Ottomans

House of Lancaster and house of York fight for English throne. York wins and establishes Tudor dynasty

Castille and Aragon unified, Spain becomes great empire

Columbus sails to Hispanolia, thinks it is India, Discovers the Americas for Spain

Henry VIII asked for an annulment from Pope. After a refusal he broke from the Catholic Church and began the Anglican church, with him at the head.
Had 6 wives, 2 beheaded.

Martin Luther declared a heretic by the Catholic Church, protected by Frederick III of Saxony

Sack of Rome by mutinous troops of Holy Roman Empire

Embodiment of the Catholic Counter-Reformation. Some hoped for a reconciliation of Protestants and a reunifying of Christendom. Instead, the Catholic church reaffirmed and strengthened its doctrines (though it limited the sale of indulgences), and condemned all Protestants as heretics.

Granted by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Gave German princes the right to choose the religion of their land.

Charles V gives throne of HRE to various heirs, goes to live in a monastery.

See Louis XIV
One of the longest reigns of any monarch in history
Regent: Queen Anne (Mazarin and Richelieu, sort of)
Came to full power at 20 in 1653. Continued with help from Mazarin and Richelieu, and economic help from Jean-Baptiste Colbert

Ends 30 years war.
Takes substantial land from HRE, distributes it to European powers. Concerned with balance of power. Allows Calvinism under treaty of Augsburg.

Oliver Cromwell named "Lord Protector", basically a King

Glorious revolution overthrows Charles II and institutes William of Orange (William III) as king of England.

James Watt created a steam engine that could pump water 3 times faster than traditional engines.

Catholic Theologian and philosopher. Influenced modern philosophy.

Father of Renaissance Humanism. Rediscovered Cicero and began to study classics.

Early critic of the Catholic Church. Believed scripture was the sole authority of Christianity. Believed Monasticism and the Papacy were corrupt.
Declared a heretic in 1415 and his works were burned.

Prince Henry the Navigator begins sponsoring explorations around the coast of Africa

Joan of Arc, important woman in late middle ages. Claimed visions from God, inspired French troops, captured by English and put to death for heresy.

First explorer to sail West, looking for India but found Americas

Model of the Renaissance man.
-Inventor, artist, architect, philosopher, historian, mathematician, scientist
Most important works include: The Last Supper, the Mona Lisa, the Vitruvian Man

Renaissance Humanist, wrote The Prince, on the importance of pragmatic leadership over moral leadership.

One of the few well educated women of Renaissance times. Became a very effective ruler of Mantua after death of her husband.

Rejected Papal supremacy. Believed that the Bible was the sole authority for Christians. Wrote "95 Theses", A list of grievances against Catholic corruption, specifically the sale of indulgences. Protected from execution by German Princes. Spread of his ideas was aided by Printing Press.

Swiss Reformer, Christ symbolized by the Eucharist

Holy Roman Emperor, lost Catholic unity under his reign. Strongly believed in Christian unity and fought against the reformation.
Most of Europe against him because he had the claim to three crowns (Holy Roman Empire, Netherlands and Spain), they feared a European hegemony

Reformer who started Calvinism

Queen regent of France, ruled through her two sons.

Last Valois monarch of France

English writer whose ubiquitous writings formed the greatest plays of the late English Renaissance.

Converted to Catholicism for the throne. "Paris is worth a mass". Issued Edict of Nantes, murdered by Catholic fanatic

King of France, embodiment of absolutism. Became absolute ruler through tactical court politics, and manipulating nobles to remain under his control. Involved in constant wars and partially caused the economic downfall of France that led to French Revolution

Charles II of Spain dies without an heir. Louis claims Spain for his grandson, Philip. Coalition of European states against Louis because they feared a unification of France and Spain. Philip was made king but France and Spain were never allowed to unify.

the Divine Comedy describes Dante's descent into Hell, through Purgatory, and ascent into Heaven. Important because it was one of the first works written in the Tuscan Language rather than Latin, standardizing Tuscan as the common Italian language

A satire which personifies "Folly" as a person, and uses this outlook to criticize the Church and many other standards of European life at the time.

Handbook for the ruler on preserving your state. Emphasizes Pragmatic leadership over moral/kind leadership. "It is better to be feared than loved"

Critique of his society and the Church, to an extent. Envisioned a world called "Utopia" which had religious tolerance, rational government and a socialist economy

Criticized and condemned various aspects of Catholic corruption focused on sale of indulgences.

Explained proper behavior and disposition of a renaissance prince or courtier. Provided the model for the Renaissance Man, instructed the courtier to be well rounded and well read in many subjects and interests.

Near the end of his life. Copernicus publishes discoveries of a heliocentric universe. Claims that Earth rotates around sun, places sun in the center of universe.

Starry Messenger explains discoveries that the moon is rocky, like the earth's surface, and not smooth like previously believed. It also explains that the surface and composition of the planets are different from that of the stars.

Descartes attempts to outline a strict skeptical logic system. Decides that the only thing he truly knows is that he exists. "I think, therefore I am". Embodiment of skepticism, beginning of deductive reasoning.

Thomas Hobbes argued for monarchy. Rejected divine right theory and rather focused on a theory of force, asserting that humans are naturally in a state of "war of all against all", and an absolute monarch is the only thing to bring men out of this natural state.

Newton synthesizes inductive and deductive reasoning into the modern scientific method. He also outlines his laws of motion and the beginnings of calculus.

John Locke deconstructs Hobbes' argument for monarchy and instead argues for the social contract theory, claiming that government has no right but the protection of the people. Beginning of classical liberalism, influenced the enlightenment greatly

Advocated separation of powers, criticized French government but used English government as a good illustration of separation of powers.

The Encyclopedie was written as an attempt to index all the world's knowledge through an enlightened, skeptical lens. It was the first time a skeptical, rigorous directory of knowledge existed.

Candide was a largely religious satire, featuring corrupt preachers, ignorant teachers, and exposing hypocrisy of all forms of religion

Advocated economic freedom and competition, laissez-faire economics. Criticized guilds and mercantilism. Foundation of modern economic theory.

Beginning of modern feminist philosophy. Advocated legal and intellectual equality of the sexes. Believed that women should be educated as thoroughly as men and given the same opportunities in society. Very conservative compared to the true feminist writings of the 20th century.

Chadwick was a reformer set on ending poverty in urban areas.