E.H. Gombrich 'A Little History of the World 26. A New Age part 1
Summary
TLDRThe script explores the Renaissance, a transformative period beginning around 1400 in Italy, particularly in Florence. It marked a shift from medieval values to a newfound appreciation for individual intellect, skill, and knowledge. The rediscovery of ancient Greek and Roman cultures led to a rebirth of art and learning, with figures like Leonardo da Vinci epitomizing the era's spirit of inquiry and innovation. The script also touches on the impact of the printing press and gunpowder, highlighting societal changes that challenged the traditional roles of knights and the spread of knowledge.
Takeaways
- 🌟 The script discusses the dawn of a new age in history, similar to how one might feel upon revisiting their old writings and noticing personal growth.
- 🏰 After 1400, Italian city-states, particularly Florence, experienced a shift in values from medieval priorities to individual intellect, knowledge, and skill.
- 🎨 The Renaissance, or 'rebirth,' began in Italy around 1420, marked by a rediscovery of and fascination with ancient Greek and Roman culture, art, and philosophy.
- 🗝️ The Florentines started to value personal achievements and intellect over traditional roles, seeking to understand and emulate the freedoms and debates of ancient societies.
- 🖌️ Leonardo da Vinci emerged as a quintessential Renaissance figure, embodying the spirit of inquiry, experimentation, and artistic mastery.
- 🔍 Leonardo's curiosity and observational skills led him to conduct dissections and experiments, revealing a deep understanding of anatomy and nature, far ahead of his time.
- 📚 The Medici family's patronage of the arts and learning played a pivotal role in fostering the Renaissance, supporting artists and scholars like Leonardo da Vinci.
- 📖 The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in 1450 democratized knowledge, making books more accessible and affordable, thus spreading Renaissance ideas widely.
- 💣 The introduction of gunpowder and firearms began to change the nature of warfare, making traditional knightly armor and tactics less effective.
- ⚔️ The script concludes with the Battle of Grandson in 1476, illustrating the declining relevance of knights in warfare and the rise of new military strategies.
Q & A
What significant change occurred in the cities of Italy around 1400, particularly in Florence?
-Around 1400, the cities of Italy, especially central Italy and Florence, experienced a shift in values and priorities. People began to value independence, intellect, knowledge, and skill over being a warrior or dedicating one's life to the service of God. This change marked the beginning of a new age where individuals sought to think and judge for themselves, leading to the Renaissance.
Why did the Florentines feel a connection to the ancient cultures of Greece and Rome?
-The Florentines felt a connection to ancient Greece and Rome because they admired the freedom, independence, and intellectual curiosity of those cultures. They were inspired by the ancients' ability to debate and discuss everything in nature and the world, which aligned with their own values of using their own eyes and acting accordingly.
What was the impact of the discovery of antiquity on the people of Florence?
-The discovery of antiquity led to a rebirth of Greek and Roman culture, known as the Renaissance. It influenced the Florentines to value individuality, intellect, and skill, and to seek out new forms of beauty in art and architecture that were free, independent, and unconstrained.
How did the Renaissance period influence art in Florence?
-The Renaissance period led to a new style of art in Florence that was natural, spontaneous, full of color and vitality, and true to life. Artists began to paint what they saw with fresh eyes, and the greatest painters and sculptors of the time were found in Florence, producing works that were a departure from the solemn and spiritual art of the Middle Ages.
Who was Leonardo da Vinci and what was his significance during the Renaissance?
-Leonardo da Vinci was a painter, inventor, and polymath who lived from 1450 to 1519. He is significant for his pursuit of a perfect understanding of the subjects he painted and his innovative approach to art and science. He conducted dissections to understand human anatomy and studied nature to explore the possibility of human flight, making him one of the greatest figures of the Renaissance.
What was unique about Leonardo da Vinci's approach to painting and understanding nature?
-Leonardo da Vinci's approach was unique because he sought not only to paint beautiful images but also to understand the underlying principles of what he was painting. He conducted dissections and experiments to gain a deeper understanding of anatomy, botany, and mechanics, which he then applied to his art, making his work more realistic and scientifically accurate.
Why did Leonardo da Vinci keep many of his discoveries and ideas secret?
-Leonardo da Vinci kept many of his discoveries and ideas secret because he understood human nature and feared that people might use his inventions for destructive purposes. He also lived in a time when independent opinions could be dangerous, and some of his ideas contradicted the teachings of the Bible, which could have led to accusations of heresy.
Who were the Medici family and how did they influence the Renaissance?
-The Medici family were wealthy wool merchants and bankers in Florence who played a significant role in the Renaissance by supporting and protecting artists and scholars. Lorenzo de Medici, known as 'the Magnificent,' was particularly influential, using his wealth to patronize the arts and shape the cultural landscape of Florence and beyond.
How did the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg impact the spread of knowledge during the Renaissance?
-The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg revolutionized the spread of knowledge by making books and written works more accessible and affordable. It allowed for the mass production of texts, which facilitated the dissemination of new ideas, scientific discoveries, and literature, contributing to the intellectual and cultural growth of the Renaissance period.
What was the role of gunpowder in the military during the Renaissance, and how did it affect the traditional role of knights?
-Gunpowder played a significant role in the military during the Renaissance by introducing cannons and firearms, which changed the nature of warfare. It made traditional knightly armor and tactics less effective, as firearms could penetrate armor from a distance. This led to the decline of the traditional knightly class, as their heavy armor became impractical and their combat methods were outmoded.
Outlines
🌟 The Dawn of the Renaissance
This paragraph introduces the concept of change over time, drawing a parallel between personal growth and the evolution of the world's history. It highlights the period post-1400 in Italy, particularly in Florence, where a shift in societal values from medieval times was observed. The focus shifted from being a warrior or a craftsman dedicated to God to valuing individuality, intellect, and self-sufficiency. The Florentines began to appreciate different aesthetics, finding the old cathedrals and paintings too rigid and gloomy. They sought inspiration from antiquity, leading to the Renaissance, a rebirth of Greek and Roman culture. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of independence, ability, intellect, knowledge, and skill, and how these values marked the beginning of a new age.
🎨 Leonardo da Vinci: The Renaissance Man
The second paragraph delves into the life and work of Leonardo da Vinci, a quintessential figure of the Renaissance. It describes his insatiable curiosity and pursuit of knowledge, not just in painting but also in anatomy, botany, and engineering. His desire to understand the human body and the natural world led him to conduct dissections and make detailed observations, which were revolutionary for his time. The paragraph also touches on his innovative ideas, such as the possibility of human flight, and his experimental approach to learning, which was ahead of his contemporaries. However, due to the potential misuse of his discoveries and the prevailing religious beliefs, da Vinci chose to keep many of his ideas private. The influence of the Medici family, particularly Lorenzo de Medici, in fostering artistic and intellectual growth during this period is also mentioned.
🏰 The Spread of Renaissance and Technological Advancements
The final paragraph discusses the spread of Renaissance ideas beyond Florence, influencing art and architecture across Europe. It mentions the role of the Medici family, especially when its members became Popes, in bringing great artists to Rome. The paragraph also explores the impact of two significant inventions: the printing press, which made books more accessible and contributed to the dissemination of knowledge, and gunpowder, which changed warfare and led to the decline of knights in armor. The narrative concludes with an account of the Swiss victory over the Burgundian knights in 1476, symbolizing the end of an era and the rise of new military tactics and technologies.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Renaissance
💡Humanism
💡Florence
💡Antiquity
💡Leonardo da Vinci
💡Medici Family
💡Printing Press
💡Gunpowder
💡Knights
💡Switzerland
Highlights
People often become aware of change by reflecting on their past, similar to how history evolves without heralds announcing new ages.
Around 1400, Italian cities, especially Florence, experienced a shift in values from knighthood to individual intellect and skill.
Florence's prosperity led to a focus on personal achievement and a break from the religious focus of the Middle Ages.
The Renaissance began in Florence as people rediscovered the beauty and wisdom of ancient Greece and Rome.
The Renaissance was characterized by a rebirth of Greek and Roman culture and a pursuit of knowledge and beauty.
Leonardo da Vinci exemplified the Renaissance spirit with his insatiable curiosity and groundbreaking studies in anatomy and flight.
Da Vinci's innovative approach to art and science involved direct observation and experimentation, setting him apart from his contemporaries.
Lorenzo de Medici, known as the Magnificent, was a patron of the arts and influenced the cultural development of Florence.
The Medici family's support of artists and scholars helped spread the Renaissance throughout Italy and beyond.
The invention of the printing press by Gutenberg in 1450 revolutionized the dissemination of knowledge and literature.
Gunpowder, initially used for fireworks in China, transformed warfare in Europe with the introduction of cannons and guns.
The use of gunpowder led to the decline of knights in battle due to the ineffectiveness of their armor against firearms.
The Swiss victory over Charles the Bold demonstrated the obsolescence of knightly warfare in the face of infantry and firearms.
The Renaissance marked a significant shift from medieval traditions, emphasizing human potential and secular achievements.
The period saw a renewed interest in Latin and Greek literature, influencing art, architecture, and learning.
The spread of Renaissance ideas was aided by the migration of artists and scholars, as well as the patronage of wealthy families like the Medici.
Transcripts
a little history of the world chapter 26
a new age have you ever come across an
old school exercise book or something
else you once wrote and leafing through
it been amazed how much you have changed
in such a short time amazed by your
mistakes but also by the good things you
had written yet at the time you hadn't
noticed that you were changing well the
history of the world is just the same
how nice it would be if suddenly heralds
were to ride through the streets crying
attention please a new age is beginning
but things aren't like that people
change their opinions even with it
without even noticing and then all of a
sudden they become aware of it as you do
when you look at your old schoolbooks
then they announce with pride we are in
a new age and they often had people used
to be so stupid something of the sort
happened after 1400 in the cities of
Italy especially in the large and
prosperous Italy the cities of central
Italy and in Florence in particular they
had guild there too and had built a
great Cathedral but Florence had none of
the noble knights that were to be found
in France in Germany for a long time
Florentine burgers had ignored the
commands of their German emperors and by
now they were as free and independent as
the citizens of ancient Athens and as
the years went by these free and
prosperous burger shopkeepers and
craftsmen had come to care about
eternity entirely different things from
those that had mattered to the knights
and craftsmen of the Middle Ages to be a
warrior a craftsman and dedicate one's
life to the service and glory of God was
no longer every man's aim what mattered
was to be someone in your own right to
have a head on your shoulders and know
how to use it to think and judge for
yourself to act on your own authority
without the need to consult others and
rather than resorting to old books to
find out how things were done in the
past to use your own eyes and act
accordingly that's what it really came
down to using your eyes and acting
accordingly independence ability
intellect knowledge and skill were what
counted people no longer asked for
about your rank your profession your
religion or what country you came from
they said tell us what you can do and
suddenly in about 14 20 the Florentines
noticed that they were no longer the
people they had been in the Middle Ages
they had different concerns they found
different things beautiful to them the
old cathedrals and paintings seemed
gloomy and rigid the old traditions are
some and in their search for something
more to their liking something free
independent and unconstrained they
discovered antiquity and I mean
literally discovered it mattered little
to them that the people of those times
have been heathens what astonished them
was that those people could was what
those people could do how they had
freely and openly debated and discussed
with arguments and counter-arguments
everything in nature in the world how
everything interested them these people
were to serve as their models a great
search for books written in Latin began
people strove to write in Latin that was
as clear and as precise as that of
ancient Romans they also learnt Greek
and so discovered the wonderful works of
the Athenians in the time of Pericles
soon people were more interested in the
mystic leaves and Alexander in Caesar in
it in Augusta and then in Charlemagne or
Barbarossa it was as if the entire
period since antiquity had been nothing
but a dream as if the free city of
Florence was about to become an Athens
or a Rome people suddenly felt they were
witnessing a rebirth of the ancient long
gone era of Greek and Roman culture they
themselves felt born again through the
discovery of these ancient works and
this is why this period of history came
to be known in Italy as we're in a
cemento or as we know it from the French
the Renaissance the rebirth everything
that had happened between they blamed on
the barbarian Germanic tribes who
destroyed the Empire the Florentines
were determined to do all they could to
revive the spirit of antiquity they were
enthusiasts for everything Roman for the
superb statues and the magnificent and
imposing buildings whose ruins lay over
all
Italy previously dismissed as heathen
ruins these had been shunned and feared
now people suddenly rediscovered their
beauty and the Florentines once it once
more began to build with columns but
people didn't just seek out old things
they looked at nature again this time
with the fresh and unprejudiced eyes of
athenians 2,000 years before them and
when they did so they discovered a new
beauty in the world in the sky and trees
in human beings flowers and animals they
painted these things as they saw them
the solemn grandeur and spirituality of
the illusion of the illustrations of
sacred texts and monks books and
cathedral windows now gave way to a
style that was natural and spontaneous
full of color and vitality yet accurate
and true to life as they intended using
your eyes and acting accordingly also
made for the best art which might
explain why the greatest painters and
sculptors were to be found in Florence
that that's at this time nor did these
painters merely sit down before their
paintings like good craftsmen and
represent what they saw they wanted to
understand what it was that they were
painting in Florence there was one
artist in particular for whom painting
good paintings was not enough no matter
how beautiful they might be and his were
far and away the finest she wanted to
have a perfect understanding of all the
things of all the things he painted and
how they related to each other this
painters name was Leonardo da Vinci he
lived from 1450 to to 1519 and was the
son of a farm servant girl she wanted to
know how a person looked when they cried
when they laughed and also what the
inside of a human body was like the
muscles the bones and sinews so he asked
hospitals to give him the bodies of
people who had died which he then to
secta dan explored this was something
quite unheard of at the time and he did
not stop there he also looked at plants
and animals in a new way and puzzled
over what makes birds able to fly this
led him to think about whether people
too might one day not be able to fly he
was the first person to carry out an
accurate and precise investigation of
the possibility of constructing an
artificial bird or flying machine and he
was convinced that one day it would be
done
he was interested in everything in
nature nor did he limit himself to
writing to the writings of Aristotle in
the Arab thinkers he always wanted to
know if what he read was really true so
above all he used his eyes and with
those eyes he saw more than anyone had
ever seen before because he was always
asking himself questions about what he
observed whenever he wanted to know
about something for example why whipper
why whirlpools happen or why a hot hot
air rises he did an experiment he had
little time for the learned writings of
his contemporaries and was the first
person to investigate the secrets of
nature by means of experiments he made
sketches and noted down his observations
on scraps of paper and in a vast
accumulation of notebooks leafing
through his jottings today when his
constantly amazed that a single human
being could investigate and analyze so
many different things things about which
nothing was known at the time and few
cared to know about yet a few of his
contemporaries had any inkling of the
many discoveries that this famous
painter was making or endued his novel
ideas he was left-handed and wrote in
minuscule mirror writing a reverse
script which is far from easy to read
this was probably intentional for those
days for in those days it was not always
safe to hold independent opinions among
his notes we find the sentence the Sun
does not move no more than that but
enough to tell us that Leonardo knew
that the earth goes around the Sun and
that the Sun does not circle the earth
each day as had been believed for
thousands of years perhaps Leonardo
limited himself to this one sentence
because he knew it didn't say so in the
Bible and then many people believe that
what the Bible had to say about nature
must never be contradicted even though
the ideas that contained were those of
Jews who had lived 2,000 years ago when
the Bible was first written down but it
wasn't only the fear of being thought a
heretic that led Leonardo to keep all
his wonderful discoveries to himself
he understood human nature all too well
and knew that people would only use them
to kill each other
elsewhere there is a note in Leonardo's
handwriting which reads I know how one
can stay underwater and survive a long
time without
food but I will not publish this or
reveal it to anyone four men are wicked
and would use it to kill even at the
bottom of the sea they would make holes
in the holes of ships and sink them with
all the people in them
sadly the inventors who came after him
were not all great men like Leonardo da
Vinci and people have long known what he
was unwilling to show them in Leonardo's
time there lived in Florence a family
that was exceptionally rich and powerful
they were wool merchants and bankers and
their name was Medici like Pericles in
ancient Athens it was they who through
their advice and influence dictated the
course of the history of Florence
throughout virtually the whole period
between 1400 and 1500 foremost among
them was Lorenzo de Medici known as the
magnificent because he made such
wonderful use of his great wealth and
gave support and protection to so many
artists and scholars whenever he came
across a gifted young man he instantly
took him into his household and had him
give and had him educated my description
of the customs of Lorenzo's household
gives you an idea of how people thought
at the time there was no seating order
at the table instead the eldest and most
respected sitting at the top of the
table above the rest
instead of the eldest and most respected
sitting at the top of the table above
the rest it was the first to arrive who
sat with Lorenzo de Medici
even if he were no more than a young
painters apprentice and even an
ambassador if he came last took his
place at the foot of the table this
entirely new delight in the world in
talented people and beautiful things and
ruins and books of the Greeks and Romans
soon spread out from Florence in all
directions for people are always quick
to learn about new discoveries great
artists were summoned to the Pope's
Court which was by now once more in Rome
to build palaces and churches in the new
style and to adorn them with paintings
and statues this was especially the case
when rich prelates from the Medici
family became Pope they then brought
Italy's greatest artists to Rome where
they created their most important works
to be sure this totally new way of
looking at things did not always sit
comfortably
with the old piety popes of this period
were not so much priests and guardians
of the souls of Christendom as
magnificent Prince's intent on the
conquest of the whole of Italy who
meanwhile lavished colossal sums of
money on glorious works of art for their
capital city this sense of rebirth of
pagan antiquity gradually spread to the
cities of Germany France and England
there too people began to take an
interest in the new ideas and forms and
to read the new latin books this had
become much easier and cheaper since
1450 for in that year a German made a
great invention one no less
extraordinary than the invention of
letters by the Phoenicians this was the
art of printing it had long been known
in China and for some decades in Europe
that you could rub black ink on carved
wood and then press it on paper but
Gutenberg's invention was different
instead of printing from whole blocks of
wood he made single letters out of metal
which could be lined up and held in a
frame and then printed from as many
times as one and then printed from as
many times as one wished when the
desired number of copies of a page had
been made the frame could be undone in
the letters used again in a different
order it was simple and it was cheap and
of course much simpler and much cheaper
than when people spent long years
laborious ly copying books by hand as
Roman and Greek slaves and the monks had
as Roman and Greek slaves and the monks
had had to do soon a whole host of
printers and sprung up in Germany Italy
and elsewhere and printed books Bibles
and other writings were eagerly brought
in read not just in Europe cities but in
the countryside as well however another
invention of the time was to have an
even greater impact on the world
this was gunpowder once again the
Chinese had probably known about it for
a long time but they mostly used it to
make fireworks it was in Europe from
1300 onward that people began to use it
in cannons for shooting at fortresses
and Men and before long soldiers were
carrying massive cumbersome guns in
their hands
bows and arrows were still much faster
and more effective a good English Bowman
could release a hundred and eighty
arrows in 15 minutes which was roughly
the time it took a soldier to load his
Thunder box set a slow match to the
charge and fire at once
despite this guns and cannons were
already in evidence during the Hundred
Years War and after 1400 and their use
became widespread but such weapons were
not for Knights there was nothing
chivalrous about firing a bullet into a
man's body from a distance as you know
what Knights did was gallop toward one
another and try to knock each other out
of the saddle now to protect themselves
against the bullets they had to abandon
their chainmail in favor of increasingly
heavy and solid armor dressed in this
from top to toe they looked like iron
men and must have been a fearsome sight
but the armor was unbearably hot and
impractical and the Knights could hardly
move for this reason no matter how
bravely they fought they were no longer
so intimidating in 1476 a famous warlike
knight and a prince of the Duchy of
Burgundy known as Charles the bold on
account of his fearsomeness what kind of
his fearlessness led an army of knights
in armor to conquer Switzerland but they
got there but when they got there the
free peasants and burners of Merton
surprised them and fighting on foot
simply knocked all the knights off their
horses and clubbed him to death then
they made off with all the magnificent
and valuable tents and rugs that the
Knights had brought with them on their
campaign of conquest you can see these
today and burn the capital of
Switzerland Switzerland remained free
and the Knights had their day and there
we will pause
Ver Más Videos Relacionados
The ITALIAN Renaissance, EXPLAINED [AP Euro, Unit 1 Topic 2 (1.2)]
Brief History of the Renaissance | 5 MINUTES
Dari TERPURUK sampai SANGAT MAJU!!! SEJARAH RENAISSANCE. ERA Kebangkitan bangsa eropa
Renaissance Humanism - The Origin & History | Church History
How To Make To-Do Lists Like Leonardo da Vinci (Life Changing)
The Renaissance [Music History]
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)