What is Renaissance? What are the reasons and results of Renaissance?

 

Question: What is Renaissance? What are the reasons and results of Renaissance?

Ans: Three things had great impact on the life of human being in entire modern history. They are 1. Renaissance             2. Geographical Discoveries               3. Industrial Revolution          These three things dictated course of the world. Renaissance, Geographical discoveries and Industrial Revolution are interconnected. Without renaissance there were no geographical discoveries. Without new geographical discoveries there was no industrial revolution. In modern European history, Renaissance is the most important thing. Renaissance first appeared in Italy.

2. What is Renaissance?

Renaissance means bringing back to life. Bringing back the ancient Greek, Roman cultures to life was the aim of renaissance. This renaissance brought complete basic changed in the way of thinking of human beings. At the same time renaissance brought about changes in society, sciences, literature and arts in large scale.

3. Reasons for Renaissance

Renaissance was started in Florence city of Italy. Italy is a home for many ancient monuments and artifacts. Rome, capital of Italy is a centre for ancient culture.

Rationalism: Traditional literature developed when litterateur from Florence started studying Greek literature. Sciences and technological spheres started developing. Intellectuals started keenly observing and questioning. Greek literature, Plato’s literature were reasons for the newly gained popularity for ancient literature.

Impact of Crusades: Due to the religious wars between Easterners and Westerns in 12^th and 13^th centuries, cultural contacts were established between them. As a result Europeans renounced their conservative lives, left other worldliness which talks about having a better place in heaven after death, came out of the influence of religion and started concentrating on having better life in this world.

4. Turks capturing Constantinople:

During medieval period, Constantinople, the capital of Byzantine Empire was flourished as a centre for ancient cultures, scholars and intellectuals. In 1453, when Turks occupied Constantinople, the scholars and intellectuals of that place migrated to European countries. Most of the intellectuals took shelter in Italy and brought awareness among the Italians about the greatness of ancient literature.

5. Literature: Dante criticized the then existing superstitious religious beliefs in his book ‘Devine Comedy’. Geoffrey Chaucer in his book ‘The Canterbury Tales’, brought new awareness in people. Machiavelli’s work ‘The Prince’ (1610) encouraged monarchy.

Ancient Greek intellectual Cicero  in his works explained the importance of study of ancient history. Petrarch and Boccaccio stressed the same.

6. Foundation of Universities: In Europe, new universities like Rome, Naples, Paris, Oxford, Cambridge etc. were established and they developed curiosity, general and in ancient scripture and taste for culture.

7. Influence of Middle Class: Feudal lords’ influence was decreased and middle class people emerged as influential. They competed with each other in patronizing litterateur and artists. Their patronage helped for the development of litterateurs, artists and sculptors.

8. Scientific Knowledge: People studied the works of intellectuals like Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau, etc and condemned superstitions. With confidence people condemned the superstition spread by Church. Church advocated that, earth was flat. But with new scientific knowledge people firmly spoke about such false notions.

Johann Gutenberg of  Germany along with Johann First and Peter Scoffer invented Printing machine. William Caxton brought printing press to England. English people gained knowledge from these books.

Results of Renaissance:

1. The incidents which determine the course of modern history were commenced renaissance.

2. Renaissance laid foundation for ‘Glorious Revolution’ in England and for ‘French Revolution’.

3. Rationalism was strengthened due to Renaissance and it was foundation for many  modern movements.

4. Middle Class emerged due to Renaissance movement.

5. Nation states were emerged due to Renaissance.

6. Renaissance led to reformation.