The Renaissance first bloomed in northern Italy in the 14th century, where the rediscovery of the cultural heritage left by ancient Rome and Greece sparked an intellectual revolution centered on humanism. Renaissance humanism held human beings and their values supremely important and spread like wildfire throughout Europe. Lasting roughly 300 years, the Renaissance saw notables such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Machiavelli, Dante, Cervantes, Shakespeare, Joan of Arc, Martin Luther, Erasmus, and John Calvin, just to name a few, reshape the very foundations of European political, social, religious, and cultural life. The Renaissance was also a period of extreme political, social, and religious turmoil, during which approximately one in three Europeans succumbed to the Black Death, the Protestant Reformation split the Church, and wars and revolts were common. Historical Atlas of the Renaissance provides an authoritative, illustrated look at this fascinating, key period in the history of Western civilization. Beginning with a Renaissance chronology that gives readers an overview of the age, the book goes on to describe, country by country, the changes that occurred throughout Europe. From the De' Medicis of Florence, Italy, to Sir Thomas More of Britain, Historical Atlas of the Renaissance offers a unique perspective--with striking photographs and illustrations, original full-color maps, and clear and insightful text--of the people, places, events, and ideas that defined the Renaissance. Coverage includes: Florence Italian Cities Germany France The Netherlands Belgium Spain Austria Britain Portugal Switzerland. Excerpted from Historical Atlas of the Renaissance by Robert Ritchie All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
