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Period: Jan 1, 1300 to Jan 1, 1575
The Renaissance era of rebirth
The Renaissance was both a philosophical and artistic movement marked by a revival in the interest of ancient Greek and Roman literature and life. -
Feb 23, 1304
Francesco Petrarch
Francesco Petrarch lived from 1304 to 1374. Petrarch was a humanist who became famous as both a scholar and a teacher. He wrote poetry, in which he wrote sonnets to Laura, an imaginary ideal woman. These works are considered some of the greatest love peoms in literature. -
Feb 25, 1450
Johannes Gutenberg
Born in Mainz Germany, Johannes Gutenberg invented the European printing press. The impact of Gutenberg's printing press reaches to economic, as well as social and technological areas. -
Feb 24, 1513
Niccolo Machiavelli
Niccolo Machiavelli was a Florentine diplomat and historian, lived from 1469 - 1527. In 1513 he wrote the essay The Prince. Machiavelli sought to describe government not in terms of lofty ideals but in the way it actually worked. -
Feb 25, 1516
Thomas More
Thomas More was an English humanist. Early in life More showed an interest in the classics, and in 1516 he published Utopia. In this work, Mored condemned the corruptness of the government. He contrasted life in Europe to his descripton of an ideal place or society. This became known as a Utopia. -
Feb 25, 1517
Martin Luther
Martin Luther lived from 1483 to 1546. In 1517 Luther challenged Tetzel, a critic of Luther by publishing his 95 theses about indulgences on a church door. Martin Luther had openly and literally challenged the Catholic Church by going right to it's doorstep. -
Feb 24, 1528
Baldassare Castiglione
Baldassare Castiglione was an Italian diplomat who lived from 1478 to 1529. In 1528 he published what is considered one of the most famous books of the Renaissance era. He wrote the Book of the Courtier. This book intended to show how gentlemen and gentlewomen should act in polite society. -
Feb 25, 1534
Ignatius de Loyola
In 1534 Ignatius de Loyola formed the Jesuits. In 1540 Pope Paukl III recognized the Jesuits as an official order of the Catholic Church. Loyola believed that salvation could be achieved, in part, by doing good deeds. His followers took vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience to the Pope. -
Feb 25, 1536
John Calvin
In Switzerland John Calvin founded a Protestant church that had a strong following. Then in 1536 he formulated and published a complete and clear set of religious beliefs, The Institutes of the Christian Religion. This work explained exactly what the faithful should believe on every major religious question. -
Feb 25, 1555
The Peace of Augsburg
With Charles V attemptin to stop the spread of Protestantism, he made a compromise with German princes in 1555. The peace of Augsburg stated that each German ruler had the right to choose the religion of his state. His subjects had to either accept the rulers' decision or move away. -
Feb 25, 1559
The Index of Forbidden Books
Presented by Pope Paul IV, the Index of Forbidden Books was a list of books in which Catholics were banned from reading. The books were considered harmful to faith and morals.
