Renaissance and Baroque Eras: Expansion, Economy, Politics, and Culture

Posted on Sep 10, 2024 in History

Renaissance III

Expansion

  1. Spain arrived in the Philippines in the 1560s. The islands were claimed for Spain by Legazpi.
  2. France sent explorers to find new countries around the world.
  3. Holland started to organize companies to make money.
  4. England, with its powerful navy and pirates, began to establish its dominance at sea. The most famous pirate of this era was Sir Francis Drake.

Economy

  1. Income of Silver: The influx of silver from the Americas primarily served to purchase goods from allies like Flanders and Italy. This flow of silver significantly impacted the European economy.
  2. Inflation: The influx of silver also led to inflation, causing prices to rise. This period marked the beginning of economics as a field of study.
  3. Mercantilism: This economic theory advocated for each country to strive for self-sufficiency by producing all the goods it needed.
  4. Economic Shift: The economic center of Europe shifted from the south to the north due to the latter’s more robust economic activities.

Politics

Philip II

Philip II inherited the thrones of Castile, Aragon, Spanish America, Italy, and Flanders. In 1580, he also inherited Portugal from his mother.

  1. Islam:
    • The Morisco population in Granada staged an uprising in 1568 but was ultimately crushed.
    • The Ottoman Turks posed a threat in the Mediterranean, attempting to control the sea and raiding coastal areas. While Spain achieved victories, they were not as decisive as they could have been.
  2. Netherlands:

    The Netherlands, prosperous due to commerce, saw the rise of a wealthy merchant class (bourgeoisie) and the growing popularity of Protestantism. This led to an uprising with three main aspects:

    1. Religion: Protestantism gained widespread acceptance, particularly among the business community.
    2. Nationalism: A sense of national identity fueled the desire for independence.
    3. Politics: The bourgeoisie sought self-governance. The Spanish ultimately lost control of the northern provinces, which became Protestant and independent as Holland. However, they retained the southern provinces, which remained Catholic and eventually became Belgium.
  3. England: Religious conflict emerged in England during this time.

Culture

  1. Literature:
    • Luis Vaz de Camões was a prominent Portuguese poet.
    • Miguel de Cervantes, known for his novel Don Quixote, was a renowned Spanish prose writer.
    • William Shakespeare, the English playwright, gained fame for his plays, including Hamlet.
  2. Art: This period was marked by tension and division, reflected in the art of the time.
    • Architecture:
      • Andrea Palladio, a Venetian architect, had a lasting impact, particularly in England and the United States.
      • Juan de Herrera, a Spanish architect, designed the El Escorial monastery.
    • Painting:
      • Tintoretto, a Venetian painter, was known for his dramatic compositions, often depicting multiple scenes, crowds of people, and unconventional use of light.
      • El Greco, born in Greece but closely associated with Toledo, Spain, was known for his elongated figures, expressive use of color, and mystical qualities.

Baroque I

Expansion

  • Spain: Spain consolidated its empire, with its culture, particularly architecture and literature, flourishing in New Spain (Mexico). Cities like Lima, Peru, and Quito, Ecuador, boasted impressive architecture.
  • England:
    • English settlers established Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. This colony, with its distinct climate, focused on agriculture and became the heart of the American South.
    • A group of Puritans, seeking religious freedom, left England and founded Plymouth Colony in New England in 1620. This colony, known for its emphasis on self-governance and individual liberty, became the foundation of the American North.
  • Caribbean: The Caribbean, initially under Spanish control, attracted other European powers due to its lucrative sugar cane plantations. Piracy was rampant, and wars between European powers over control of the islands were frequent. England gained control of Jamaica.
  • Netherlands: The Dutch adopted a more commercially driven approach to colonization, establishing trading companies like the Dutch East India Company. They established a presence in South Africa and Indonesia, where rubber became a key commodity.
  • Portugal: Portugal colonized Brazil and established trading posts in Africa, West India, Japan, and China.
  • France: France established colonies in the Caribbean and North America, founding Quebec City.

Economy

An economic crisis, beginning in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, spread northward by the end of this period. Economists attribute this to natural economic cycles, while historians point to factors like frequent wars, unfavorable climate conditions, and a decline in silver imports from the Americas.

Politics

General International Situation

  1. 1600-1618: This period was relatively peaceful, with Spain remaining a dominant power.
  2. 1618-1648: The Thirty Years’ War
    • Causes and Sides:
      • Germany: Religious tensions between Catholics and Protestants in Germany, coupled with the Holy Roman Emperor’s ambition for a unified Germany, ignited the conflict. Neighboring countries opposed this unification.
      • Spain and the Netherlands: Spain continued its conflict with the Dutch Republic.
      • Spain and France: Spain and France engaged in warfare, with key figures like the Count-Duke of Olivares in Spain and Cardinal Richelieu in France shaping their respective countries’ policies.
    • Sides: Catholic Germany (Holy Roman Empire and Spain) vs. Protestant Germany (Netherlands, Sweden, and France)
    • Results:
      1. Germany was devastated, suffering economic and cultural setbacks and remaining divided.
      2. The Netherlands’ independence was formally recognized.
      3. Spain emerged weakened, facing revolts in Catalonia (1640), Portugal (1640), and Naples.
  3. 1648-1661: While most countries signed peace treaties, Spain and France continued their conflict.

Spain

In 1640, Spain faced uprisings in Portugal and Catalonia. The Catalan Revolt led to a protracted war, but Catalonia was eventually reincorporated into Spain after 12 years.

France

The Fronde, a series of uprisings by the French nobility and bourgeoisie against the monarchy, challenged royal authority. However, the monarchy ultimately prevailed, suppressing the revolts and consolidating its power.

Culture

  1. Science:
    • Medicine: William Harvey, an English physician, revolutionized medicine with his discovery of blood circulation, challenging prevailing beliefs about the human body.
    • Astronomy:
      • Johannes Kepler, a German astronomer, discovered that planets orbit the sun in elliptical paths, not perfect circles.
      • Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer and physicist, made groundbreaking observations with the telescope, discovering lunar craters, Jupiter’s moons, and distant stars.
  2. Philosophy:
    • Problem of Knowledge:
      • Francis Bacon, an English philosopher, emphasized the importance of empirical observation and experimentation, advocating for the separation of science from religion.
      • René Descartes, a French philosopher and mathematician, stressed the power of reason and deductive logic.
    • Social and Political Organization:
      • Hugo Grotius, a Dutch jurist, laid the groundwork for international law.
      • Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher, argued for a strong sovereign state to prevent societal chaos.
  3. Literature:
    • Theater:
      • Spain witnessed a golden age of theater with playwrights like Lope de Vega, Pedro Calderón de la Barca (known for his play Life is a Dream, which explores the nature of reality), and Tirso de Molina.
      • England’s theater evolved to reflect a changing society, with plays addressing complex themes. However, the rise of Puritanism and the English Civil War led to the closure of theaters.
  4. Art:
    • Characteristics: Baroque art emphasized naturalism, depicting subjects with realism, including imperfections, various ages, and social classes. Artists were fascinated by light and its effects.
    • Themes: Baroque art explored movement, illusion, human emotions, and the unexpected, often aiming to evoke surprise and awe.
    • Subjects: While traditional themes like religion, mythology, and portraits persisted, Baroque artists also embraced new subjects like landscapes, still lifes, genre scenes (depicting everyday life), and nature.
    • Artists:
      • Italy: Caravaggio and numerous foreign artists flocked to Italy.
      • Spain: Diego Velázquez, Francisco de Zurbarán, Jusepe de Ribera, and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo were prominent figures.
      • Flanders: Peter Paul Rubens was a leading artist.
      • Holland: Rembrandt van Rijn was a master of light and shadow.