10 Questions
What event led to the escalation of the conflict into the Protestant Reformation?
The excommunication of Martin Luther
Who was unconcerned with Martin Luther's criticisms and focused on the wealth and power of the Catholic Church?
Leo X
What event resulted in widespread destruction, rape, and looting in Rome?
The sack of Rome by German armies
Who was forced to flee Rome for his safety after the sack of Rome?
Clement VII
What was depicted in Michelangelo's Last Judgement fresco in the Sistine Chapel during this era?
Suffering and oppression
Who created the sculpture 'David' for Florence's town hall?
Michelangelo Buonarroti
Which artist studied human anatomy using corpses from city hospitals, causing controversy?
Leonardo da Vinci
Who wrote 'The Prince,' a handbook for aspiring dictators, separating ethics from politics?
Machiavelli
Who strengthened the Medici family's power by appointing his cousin as Archbishop and Cardinal of Florence?
Giovanni de Medici
Who took control of the Vatican and sold indulgences to raise money?
Giovanni de Medici
Study Notes
- Florence, Italy: City of Renaissance and artistic revolution
- Michelangelo Buonarroti, a sculptor, creates "David" for the city's town hall as a symbol of resistance
- Medici family, once rulers of Florence, are exiled due to a civil war sparked by resentment of their wealth and power
- Giovanni and Giulio de Medici, cousins and former heirs to the Medici dynasty, seek to regain control of Florence
- Leonardo da Vinci, a contemporary artist, studies human anatomy using corpses from city hospitals, causing controversy
- Artist competition: Leonardo and Michelangelo each decorate a wall of the Florence council chamber with frescoes of famous battles
- The Medici cousins return to Florence with papal support and regain control, but face resistance from the people
- Pope Julius II dies, and Cardinals elect Giovanni de Medici as his successor, Papa Leone X
- Giovanni de Medici strengthens the Medici family's power by appointing his cousin, Giulio, as Archbishop and Cardinal of Florence
- Machiavelli, a political advisor who once defended Florence against the Medici, is imprisoned and exiled after being accused of conspiracy
- Machiavelli writes "The Prince," a handbook for aspiring dictators, separating ethics from politics
- Cardinals conspire to assassinate Pope Leo X, but he is warned and the conspirators are killed
- Medici family takes control of the Vatican, selling indulgences to raise money and infiltrating various spheres of power.- Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk in Wittenberg, openly criticized the Catholic Church for selling indulgences, calling it a sin that only increases greed and avarice.
- Leo X, the Pope at the time, was unconcerned with Luther's criticisms, considering him a petulant monk and focusing on the wealth and power of the Catholic Church.
- Luther's writings spread quickly, causing outrage among those seeking religious reform and those opposed to the Catholic Church.
- In 1521, Leo X issued a bull of excommunication against Luther, but he refused to repent and the conflict escalated into the Protestant Reformation.
- Pope Leo X died in 1521, leaving his cousin Giulia de Medici to deal with the crisis.
- In 1527, Rome was sacked by German armies, resulting in widespread destruction, rape, and looting that left around 8,000 people dead.
- Clement VII, the new Pope, was forced to flee Rome for his safety and eventually married Catherine de Medici, the last legitimate heir to the Medici line, to the French King's son.
- The art of the time reflected the turmoil of the era, with Michelangelo's Last Judgement fresco in the Sistine Chapel depicting suffering and oppression rather than natural beauty.
- The corrupt and disastrous reign of the Medici Popes came to an end, but their legacy would continue in a new era of scientific and philosophical discoveries that changed man's understanding of the universe.
Explore the rise and fall of the Medici family, their influence on Florence, the alliances and power struggles, as well as the artistic and political turmoil of the Renaissance era.
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