The topical organization of the present book includes 12 aspects of the Renaissance, allowing each chapter to function as a lens on that slice of life. In general, information is presented from south to north, reflecting the predominance of Italy in the development of the Renaissance. The chapters by necessity present rather compact descriptions and explanations of each topic; for greater depth of study the reader might consult the list of recommended readings at the end of each chapter, which note the specific area treated in each reference unless the book or article comprehensively covers the section for which it is listed. The bibliography gives the full citation for each item in the readings, with general reference works on the Renaissance (not listed in the readings) at the beginning. Chapter 1, organized chiefly by geographic regions, concerns history, government, and society. Italy and the Holy Roman Empire are discussed first, followed by other areas of continental Europe and then England and Scotland. Chapter 2 pertains to religion, opening with sections on the Catholic Church and papacy, followed by the Protestant Reformation and brief sections on Judaism and Islam. Chapter 3, on art and visual culture, is organized by genres: painting, tapestries, sculpture, prints, and decorative art. Chapter 4 focuses on architecture and urban planning in Italy and France, beginning with a section on the rise of the architect with the major works of each architect mentioned. The next two sections analyze the influence of Rome and ecclesiastical buildings; secular buildings are organized by fortresses and castles, villas, and Italian patronage in general. Finally, several important buildings outside Italy and France are described. Chapter 5, which concerns literature and language, opens with a discussion of humanism, philology, and publishing. Literary theory is followed by sections on the four genres of poetry, prose, drama, and oratory along with rhetoric. The final section pertains to library collections. Chapter 6 on music begins with sections on sacred and secular music, then continues with working conditions and patronage. The two final sections discuss musical instruments and the publication of musical material.
Chapter 7 on warfare has six sections, beginning with major wars, armor, and traditional weaponry. The fourth section discusses soldiering and battle conditions, and military medicine and fortifications end the chapter. Chapter 8, which concerns commerce, first describes banking and accounting. The remainder of the chapter is organized by areas of commercial production: mining; textiles; agriculture; wine, beer, and spirits; crafts; publishing; and slavery. Chapter 9 on exploration and travel opens with geography and cartography, followed by a discussion of travel and travelers. The final section on exploration takes the reader from Africa to Asia, and then to the Americas. Chapter 10 on science and medicine opens with the cosmic topics of astronomy and astrology, then focuses on chemistry, mathematics, and optics. The final two sections, on botany and drugs and on anatomy and medicine, include information about medical treatment. Chapter 11, which concerns education, begins with teaching in Latin in humanistic schools and at the universities. The three other sections treat education in the vernacular languages, apprenticeship, and the education of girls and women (in Latin as well as in the vernacular). Chapter 12 discusses several areas of daily life, beginning with time and the calendar. The analysis of family life includes information on marriage, children, and housing, and the section on ceremonies focuses on various aspects of public life in the community. The section on clothing and costume describes the apparel of different classes of society, and the next section, on food and cooking, also discusses the dis-
Handbook to Life in Renaissance Europe
Crepancies among social classes. The final section concerns disease, illness, and death. Important individuals appear in several chapters, with their contribution to that particular subject emphasized.
Except for chapter 12 on daily life, each chapter has brief notes about major figures, along with their dates, preceding the list of readings. The extensive index should be consulted to locate all instances of specific individuals and subjects. Readers should also use the glossary, which describes approximately 185 terms, including numerous non-English words.
My goal in writing this book was to encourage students to become interested in this fascinating and provocative epoch of world history. I hope that they might use this text as a springboard to meaningful research of their own.
World History
