Renaissance and Reformation

Petrarch

Jul 20, 1304

Petrarch was a scholar who came up with the idea of humanism. He collected many classical texts and spent most of his time reading and translating major Greek and Roman works of which have not been read for almost a millennium. These works greatly influenced his poetry which included classical styles and mainly wrote in Latin.

Johannes Gutenberg

Jan 1, 1395

Gutenberg invented a type of printing press that made the spread of knowledge, discoveries, and literacy faster. Gutenberg's invention made the people of the Renaissance more knowledgeable and educated. Gutenberg also made his own version of the Bible.

Lorenzo de'Medici

Jan 1, 1449

Lorenzo is most known for sponsoring artists such as Michelangelo and Botticelli. He was also the ruler of the Florentine Republic, which brought stability to the nation. He was considered the most brilliant of the Medici and gave lots of money for artworks that are famous today.

Leonardo da Vinci

Apr 15, 1452

Leonardo da Vinci made many famous artworks. He also did many scientific experiments and created inventions that were groundbreaking for his time. Da Vinci is best known through his expressive artwork and the pieces tended to be very dramatic. He expressed his creativity through all the things he did, such as painting, architecture, engineering and studying human anatomy.

Henry VIII

Jan 28, 1456

Henry VIII was mainly known for his many wives and establishing the Church of England as king. King Henry was also known for establishing the Royal Navy, encouraging shipbuilding, , and the creation of dockyards and anchorages. Henry had six wives, two of which were beheaded, two more that were divorced, one that died during childbirth (Henry's love of a lifetime), and one who survived and lived longer than Henry and remarried soon after.

Pope Paul III

Feb 29, 1468

Pope Paul III directed a group cardinals to investigate abuse in the church. He also initiated the Counter-Reformation. Pope Paul was the leader of the Papal States and head the Catholic Church.

Machiavelli

May 3, 1469

Machiavelli was a philosopher from Florentine known for his political ideas. His two most famous books were The Prince and the Discourses on Livy, which were published after his death. He influenced the thinking of the Founding Fathers of the United States and had intense favoritism for a republican style of government.

Erasmus

Oct 27, 1469

Erasmus was one of the main activists in the Renaissance. He wrote letters to leading statesmen, humanists, printers, and theologians. He believed in the importance of studying classic literature.

Albrecht Durer

May 21, 1471

Durer was a painter, draftsman, and writer. His greatest artistic impact was in the medium of printmaking and transformed printmaking into an art form that is more equal to sculpture and painting. Albrecht Durer is known to be one of the greatest artists of the German Renaissance.

Michelangelo

Mar 6, 1475

Michelangelo was an artist that made many important and famous pieces of art such as The Creation of Adam. He was considered to be one of the greatest artists of all time and the Renaissance. He demonstrated things like physical realism, intensity, and psychological insight.

Thomas More

Feb 7, 1478

Thomas More , also called Saint Thomas More, was an English humanist who refused to accept King Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England and was later beheaded. His work Utopia became important to the reformation to help reform the society through literature. Many find him as a symbol of virtue, recognized him for his intelligence, impartiality, and wisdom and some did not like him and saw him as intolerant and a fanatical.

Raphael

Apr 6, 1483

Considered one of the most talented painters of the Renaissance, Raphael created artworks known for their clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual achievement of the perfect human form at his time. Raphael was also an architect and his fame from his works led to him being summoned to Rome by Pope Julius II. Raphael became one of the most famous artists in Rome

Martin Luther

Nov 10, 1483

Martin Luther is the father of Lutheranism. He had many disagreements with the church, including the ideas that the priest is not a divine being, priests should be held accountable just like ordinary civilians, and all people should read the Bible. Luther relied strongly on the idea of humanism and had many followers.

Thomas Cranmer

Jul 2, 1489

Thomas Cranmer was an architect of Anglicanism during Henry VIII's reign. He helped create the Church of England and wrote many of its official documents such as the Book of Common Prayer. He composed a litany that is still used today. He was denounced by Queen Mary I for promoting Protestantism and convicted of heresy before being burned at the stake.

Ignatius of Loyola

Jan 1, 1491

Ignatius of Loyola was a Spanish priest and theologian. He was one of the most influential figures in the Counter-Reformation and founded the Jesuit order in 1534, which modernized the Roman Catholic Church. He's also known for recognizing that our spiritual life is also based on freedom.

John Calvin

Jul 10, 1509

John Calvin is best known for his doctrine of predestination. He said that Christians should not question God's plan and trust God's good intentions for their personal life and destiny. John believed that God's rewards for humans were predetermined and it was already chose who would be eternally saved or be condemned to hell.

Elizabeth I

Sep 7, 1533

Elizabeth I was the queen of England from 1558-1603. She ruled for 45 years and is remembered for defeating the Spanish Armada, the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, and voyages of exploration and discovery. She was highly respected because she was thriving in a "man's world" and became one of the most respected and celebrated rulers.

William Shakespeare

Apr 26, 1564

Shakespeare was very important to the Renaissance. Shakespeare's work is still relevant and relatable today and deal with big and universal themes. The themes of his work include life, love, death, and betrayal. Some of his most famous works are Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, and A Midsummer Night's Dream,