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Because of the increasing urbanization of Italian society and the impact of the Black Death, the feudal economic system collapsed.<ref>Ruggiero, Guido. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521719380/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0521719380&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=1b90561c922b87b9608d09e3afe7757f The Renaissance in Italy: A Social and Cultural History of the Rinascimento]</i> (Cambridge University Press, 2015), p. 648 </ref> Feudalism was a political-social and economic system that gave political and military power to the landed elite and which tied the majority of the population to this elite. Feudalism was a system that demanded obedience, deference and ordained that people should accept their position in society, without question. It endorsed a view of the world that it advanced the belief that the world governed by unchanging and fixed by the laws of God. Feudalism was never strong in Italy, even in the High Middle Ages, and after the 1350s it all but collapsed. The collapse of feudalism led to the release of social forces that led to the Renaissance.<ref>Lopez, Robert Sabatino, <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007ETTC22/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007ETTC22&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=4960cf91c401faa3cb7c990af3e6761e The Three Ages of the Italian Renaissance]</i> Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1970, p. 89</ref> People were freer than ever before and they were prepared to question and doubt and develop new ideas about society and to create new means of expression and styles of art to represent them. The society of Italy in the period from 1350 to 1500 energized people and encouraged them to experiment with the arts, thought and modes of life.<ref> Gilbert, Felix. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0691031630/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0691031630&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=e4d96c0c5e014c0593f0205f31fee3d3 History: Politics or Culture? Reflections on Ranke and Burckhardt]</i>. (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1990). p. 109</ref>
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====The New Elite====
[[File: SC2.jpg|thumbnail|300px|thumbnail|Lorenzo De Medici ‘The Magnificent’]]
====Spectacle and Display====
[[File: SC1.jpg|thumbnail|300px200px|left|Fransico Sforza, a mercenary who became Duke of Milan]]Italy during the Renaissance was a society that was obsessed with display and spectacle. Life in the towns and cities of the time were structured around an apparently endless round of civic and religious ceremonies and festivals. The courts of the rulers were also renowned for lavish spectacles. <ref>Celenza, Christopher and Kenneth Gouvens, Editors. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9004149074/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=9004149074&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=e30a1e7a250f2433267f6270d8640f11 Humanism and Creativity in the Renaissance]</i> (Longmans, Leiden 2006),pp. 295–326</ref> The New Elites such as the De Medici used spectacles and display to assert themselves in society and to demonstrate their wealth. Wealthy members of the urban elite and the aristocracy were always keen to demonstrate their status. This need to publicize and affirm one’s status led to the patronage of great artists and writers to provide displays and exhibit the wealth and power of the elite. This need for others recognition was vital in the Renaissance and it led to the lavish patronage of the period. This led to a great deal of competition to patronize the best artists and writers. For example, the Sforza paid De Vinci a huge sum to work for them in Milan. The need for display and ostentation benefitted humanists, artists, and writers as it allowed them to receive more commissions and it also encouraged them to be more creative and daring to produce works that would get the attention for their patrons.<ref>Celenza, p. 296</ref> ====Secularism==== Perhaps the great impact of the Papacy on Italy and beyond was on religious belief. The increasing secular outlook and policies of the Pope were viewed with disgust and outrage by many religious people, especially outside Italy.<ref> Duffy, Eamon. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300206127/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0300206127&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=1d87d8482b2ccfba05039944a61b1172 Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes].</i> Yale University Press, 1997), p. 211</ref> Many people in Christendom were worried that if the Pope was corrupt, was the church also corrupt and what did this mean for their salvation. <ref>Duffy, p. 334</ref> The Church at this period needed reform, all over Europe. Successive Popes did not attempt to reform the clergy as they were too preoccupied with their interests in Italy and especially in the Papal States. The lives of the Popes scandalized many and led to many becoming disenchanted with the Catholic Church. Prior to the Counter-Reformation religious observance was lax and the Inquisition which was found to enforce Church doctrine, fell into abeyance.<ref> Duffy, p. 335</ref>
The increasing secularism New Elites such as the De Medici used spectacles and display to assert themselves in society and to demonstrate their wealth. Wealthy members of the Italian urban elite and also of the emerging class of traders aristocracy were always keen to demonstrate their status. This need to publicize and bureaucrats was affirm one’s status led to prove decisive in the Renaissance. No longer was the world seen just as a vale patronage of tears but it was a place where men great artists and women could find meaning writers to provide displays and even beauty. During exhibit the Renaissance, people were quite willing to celebrate this life wealth and not just wait power of the elite. This need for happiness others recognition was vital in the next life. People came Renaissance and it led to see something special and unique in the human experiencelavish patronage of the period. In Renaissance society, the body was not seen as This led to a source of sin but under the influence great deal of secular ideas, it came competition to be something to be celebrated and not scorned. Evidence of this is seen everywhere in the works of patronize the great best artists such as Botticelli and Michelangelowriters. For example, that celebrate the human formSforza paid De Vinci a huge sum to work for them in Milan. This increasinglyThe need for display and ostentation benefitted humanists, artists, secular outlook and the optimism about the human condition led writers as it allowed them to receive more commissions and it also encouraged them to what Jacob Burckhardt has called the ‘discovery of man be more creative and daring to produce works that would get the worldattention for their patrons.’<ref> BurkhardtCelenza, p. 115296</ref> Influenced by classical ideas, many in the Renaissance became more aware of the potential of humans and began to investigate the world. A new worldview emerged in Renaissance Italy, which affirmed the dignity of men and women and their capabilities.
====Related DailyHistory.org Articles====
*[[Why did the Italian Renaissance End?]]
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====Secularism====
Perhaps the great impact of the Papacy on Italy and beyond was on religious belief. The increasing secular outlook and policies of the Pope were viewed with disgust and outrage by many religious people, especially outside Italy.<ref> Duffy, Eamon. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300206127/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0300206127&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=1d87d8482b2ccfba05039944a61b1172 Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes].</i> Yale University Press, 1997), p. 211</ref> Many people in Christendom were worried that if the Pope was corrupt, was the church also corrupt and what did this mean for their salvation. <ref>Duffy, p. 334</ref> The Church at this period needed reform, all over Europe. Successive Popes did not attempt to reform the clergy as they were too preoccupied with their interests in Italy and especially in the Papal States. The lives of the Popes scandalized many and led to many becoming disenchanted with the Catholic Church. Prior to the Counter-Reformation religious observance was lax and the Inquisition which was found to enforce Church doctrine, fell into abeyance.<ref> Duffy, p. 335</ref>
The increasing secularism of the Italian elite and also of the emerging class of traders and bureaucrats was to prove decisive in the Renaissance. No longer was the world seen just as a vale of tears but it was a place where men and women could find meaning and even beauty. During the Renaissance, people were quite willing to celebrate this life and not just wait for happiness in the next life. People came to see something special and unique in the human experience. In Renaissance society, the body was not seen as a source of sin but under the influence of secular ideas, it came to be something to be celebrated and not scorned. Evidence of this is seen everywhere in the works of the great artists such as Botticelli and Michelangelo, that celebrate the human form. This increasingly, secular outlook and the optimism about the human condition led to what Jacob Burckhardt has called the ‘discovery of man and the world.’<ref> Burkhardt, p. 115</ref> Influenced by classical ideas, many in the Renaissance became more aware of the potential of humans and began to investigate the world. A new worldview emerged in Renaissance Italy, which affirmed the dignity of men and women and their capabilities.
====Conclusion====
The Renaissance changed the history of Italy, Europe, and the world. It first emerged in Italy and this was no coincidence. Italian society in the period from 1350-1500 was one that was ideally suited for the development of a new culture and view of the world. The growing wealth and urbanization of Northern Italy meant that a new culture developed to replace the old medieval order and its values. The society was one that privileged the individual and believed that life could be meaningful. The new elite in this society, that appreciated display, and ostentation, encouraged them patronage of great artists. It was also a factor in the experimentation carried out by writers and artists who sought to impress their patrons. Perhaps the key social factor in the development of the Renaissance in Italy was the growing secularism of society, no longer were men and women confined to a theological interpretation of the world and life but sought to find an alternative way of living in their new society. In the new environment, many sought guidance for the new society emerging in the great works of the classical past and in their desire to emulate the past, they managed to create a new culture. One that in many ways laid the foundations for the modern world.
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====References====
