The Renaissance

If you don't know what the term renaissance  refers to you may find many of the festivals and fairs that dot the western world all year round slightly confusing. They may also be in the Eastern world but at the time of writing I am unaware of any.
So just so you don't seem like a nincompoop at said fairs, here's a little taster of the Renaissance. Simply drop some of these names and facts and you should be alright. Well, left alone at least.

The Renaissance traditionally refers to the cultural, philosophical and social movement that began in Florence at the end of the 14th century (after the Black Death) and continued sometime until the middle of the 16th century. It spread through the rest of Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, England and parts of Spain.

The term itself is French and means reborn. In Italian reborn is il rinascimento. What was being reborn was the art, history, philosophy and attitude of the classical age of Greece and Rome. After the Dark Ages (or the Middle Ages, a term I prefer because if you look deeply they really weren't so dark as their reputation implies) Europe underwent a massive shift in thought and culture which permeated then through all aspects of society.

 The Birth of Venus - Sandro Botticelli c1485-7

The rediscovery of texts and manuscripts from Greece (especially after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453) and those from the Middle East (where society was undoubtably more advanced and sophisticated during the Middle Ages) brought a lot of new, and old, ideas to Europe.

Some of the key characters who were interested in this transformation and contributed to it (either willingly or unwillingly) include:

Writers - Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio
Artists - Giotto, Sandro Bottecelli, Michelangelo Buonarotti, Donatello, Rafael, Leonardo de Vinci (yes, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were actually named after quite important people). There are of course many more but this is only meant to be an appetiser, not the whole main course.
Leaders - Cosimo de Medici (Florence), Lorenzo de Medici (Florence), the Sforza family - notably Ludovico and Caterina (Milan), the Este family (Ferrara, and other parts of Veneto), Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand  - of the Spanish Inquisition fame (Spain), Phillip II of Spain (Spain, Naples, Portugal), Henry VIII (England), Elizabeth I (England)
Religious Movers and Shakers - Savonarola, Martin Luther, Sir Thomas More
Popes  -  Pope Innocent VIII, Alexander VI, Julius II, Leo X
Scientists - Nicolaus Copernicus (good old Copperknickers - sorry couldn't resist), Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Galilei
Political Commentators  - Machiavelli

The Sistine Chapel (Ceiling) - Michelangelo, 1508-1512

Alright, this plate of hors d'oeuvres is starting to overflow a bit here, and as my aim is simply to whet your appetitie I'm going to stop here. Keep tuned though as I'm sure some of those mentioned here will bubble up into their own tasty portions.

Cleopatra

It seems only fitting that today with the passing of Elizabeth Taylor we should look at the historical figure made famous by this lovely actress:

Cleopatra VII.

Cleopatra VII Philopator was born 69BC and died in 30BC. If we consider then that her brief life has lasted so long in our minds as glorious and perhaps infamous it is because she truly was a wonderous creature in her time.

Egyptian history is broken up into different time periods:
Old Kingdom
Middle Kingdom
New Kingdom
Late Period
Greco-Roman Period

Cleopatra belonged to the Greco-Roman Period and was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic family. She is believed to have been a very intelligent and charming ruler, speaking Greek (as did all the Ptolemies before her) but Egyptian as well. These qualities made her a formidable ruler as opposed to her beauty. Images found on coins from the time show us that she wasn't much of a looker at all really (which is why I chose the stunning, easily recognisable image of Ms Taylor). But then other sources contest that she did have great physical and sexual appeal and it is merely our perception of beauty over time that has changed. I guess we'll never know.

Known for her love affairs with the Roman statesman Julius Caesar and his political successor Mark Antony, Cleopatra bore the former a son, Caesarion, and a son Ptolemy Philadelphus and twins, Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene to the latter.

Cleopatra and Mark Antony fought to keep Egypt an independent state, but they lost the important sea battle at Actium to Octavian, Caesar's adopted son. Octavian later became the Emperor Augustus and Egypt became a Roman occupied territory.

After Mark Antony's death Cleopatra committed suicide by the venom of a snake, possibly asp or cobra - depending on the sources.

Her infamy today is due, I think, to Elizabeth Taylor's famous portrayal in the movie of the same name in 1963 and I think the charismatic queen would have been pleased with the depiction. Don't you?

Source: Egypt: The World of the Pharaohs, ed R. Schulz and M. Seidel, Konemann

Quote: Alcmaeon of Croton - c500BC

'About what is invisible, about what is mortal, the gods have clear knowledge, but to us as men, only inference on what is coming is possible.'

Quote: Thucydides

'It will be enough for me, however, if these words of mine are judged useful by those who want to understand clearly the events which happened in the past and which (human nature being what it is) will, at some time or other and in much the same ways, be repeated in the future. My work is not a piece of writing designed to meet the taste of an immediate public, but was done to last forever.' 

 Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War,  I:22

An Introduction: History Bites

I heard the term today "Short Attention Span History" and it made me smile. And so I made this blog.

My main areas of interest in history are the Italian Renaissance and Ancient Greece. I am also interested in Victorian England, the Middle Ages, Latin American history ( pre and post-conquistadors), and 20th century History. Any and all of these periods in time (and some I might not have mentioned) may make an appearance on this blog.

The point is KISS - keep it simple stupid.

My entries won't be long, essay-like compositions on history. They will be short, sweet and to the point. They will cover a range of topics from factual dates and events, culture, society, religion, fashion, personalities, quotes, sayings and more.
I will also include links, books and reviews when possible.

I hope you enjoy these tasty tidbits of history and that your intellectual tastebuds are tantalised. If there is anything you are craving, just let me know.

Vincenzo Campi, Il Mangiafagioli