Setting the Stage for the Reformation

Political Change during the Renaissance

Politics and the State

15th Century rulers centralized power– Many sought to eliminate disorder &

violence– Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain– Charles IV and Charles V of HRE– Frances I of France– Henry VII of England– All invested royal power with

authority and sense of national purpose

Spain Finally United through the marriage of

Isabella to Ferdinand (El Catolico - “Most Catholic Nation”)– Isabella of Castile (and Spanish Americas) &

Ferdinand of Aragon (Balearic Islands, Sardinia, Sicily & Naples)

No common political, judicial or administrative institutions

Aristocratic power lessened under I & F Church used to strengthen royal authority

– Reconquista ends (last Arabs driven out by 1492; majority of Jews relocated)

– Inquisition established to maintain sense of “Spainishness”

Spain (cont’d) Reconquista/ Inquisition (1478)

– Attempt to drive Muslims (Moors) & Jews out– Conversos

• Marranos - Jewish converts/ Moriscos – Muslim converts• Often “conversions” merely verbal

– (Remember: Christianity / State STILL united in Europe until after the Reformation)

• To be non-Christian = to be vs. the state

– Many Jews had been important members of government and trade

• Jews expelled: Flee to Northern Africa, Germany, Poland, Netherlands, Southwestern France

• Many tortured at the hand of the Spanish Inquisition

– Moors driven out by 1492 with victory at Granada• 1502 – Isabella expels all professed Muslims from Spain

Holy Roman Empire

three states: – princely states

• Saxony, Brandenburg, Bavaria

– ecclesiastical states• bishoprics, abbacies

– free imperial states• 50 states, not large territory BUT• dominated financial & commercial life

Golden Bull, 1356

seven electors elect Holy Roman Emperor– Count of Palatine; Duke of Saxony;

Margrave of Brandenburg; King of Bohemia

– Archbishops of Cologne, Mainz, and Trier

Two Threats to the HRE

Ottoman Turks– Ottoman Empire is pressing in on Europe

• Take Constantinople in 1453 – then move north toward Hungary (Bohemia and HRE would be next!)

Hanseatic League– Trade Association made up of German and

Baltic states– Members interested in breaking financial and

political ties with the HRE in order to gain independence.

Habsburgs – European Dynasty Maximilian I (1493-1519)

– administrative “circles”, Imperial Chamber, Imperial Council and Reichstag BUT…

– strategic use of royal marriages• he marries Mary of Burgundy (France &

Netherlands)• their son, Philip, marries Joanna heiress of

Castile & Spanish America, Aragon & its Mediterranean & Italian possessions

• their son, Charles, inherits all this PLUS is elected Holy Roman Emperor, 1519

Habsburg Brothers Charles V (a.k.a. Charles I) – most

powerful ruler of his time Ferdinand (his brother) elected King of

Bohemia and Hungary– attempt to protect areas from the Turks, who

had been moving into Europe from Constantinople since 1453

“Universal Monarchy”– Threat to balance of power and other nation’s

independence– France especially worried

Charles V unable to consolidate power in the Holy Roman

Empire unable to unite all of his landholdings into one “state” constant warfare with Francis I (France) over Italy

– no national army, must hire mercenary forces

1527 sacks Rome – viewed as a blood thirsty tyrant not enough funds to manage territories Protestantism Ottoman Turks abdicates 1556, dies 1559

France Francis I, 1516-1547

– Student of warfare – seduced by power • Mother Louise ruled while he was away waging

war

– Attempts to take over all of Italy – Fails BUT• Both Pope Leo X and the Sforza (Milan) recognize

French “dominion” = influence in these areas (i.e. French are protectors of the Papacy)

– Returns to France greatly influenced by the Renaissance

• da Vinci• Fontainebleau

Palace Fontainebleau

Francis I

Once back in France begins to further consolidate his power throughout France

Concordat of Bologna, 1516: Pope Leo X formally agrees to let Francis appoint bishops and abbots – BUT – Francis agrees to let pope collect annuities & recognizes the pope’s superiority over church councils

Francis I vs. Charles V

looses Holy Roman Emperorship to Charles V

repeatedly beat in Italy by Charles V’s mercenary armies

Francis I tries to use Protestantism against Charles V

Henry II (1547-1559) reaches peace with Habsburgs – Peace of Cateau-Cambresis, 1559

England

Disorder! Civil Conflict!

Murder!

The War of the Roses1455-1485

House of York (white rose) vs. House of Lancaster (red rose)

Henry IV, 1399-1413 – Black Death / disorder / damages trade, agriculture, industry– Henry V, 1413-1422 – In line to become King of

France BUT dies– Henry VI, mentally disturbed --- monarchy sinks– Edward IV – York, took throne in 1461 (-1483)

• Began to reaffirm royal authority• Reduced royal reliance on Parliament for $

Richard III, Duke of Gloucester (1483-5)– Edward’s sons imprisoned & murdered– Was Richard involved?

War continues– Henry Tudor VII (1485-1509) challenges Richard

III• Defeats Richard III at Bosworth in 1485

– Marries Elizabeth of York (Edward IV’s daughter)

England, cont’d Henry VII (Tudor)

– Gained throne by force– Came to control the Parliament– Used the royal council to his advantage,

Star Chamber (royal court dealing with legal issues w/o jury; court of appeals)

– Won the support of many by promoting economic stability in England

– Avoided expensive civil wars, passed laws against “livery and maintenance.”

– Diplomacy, Diplomacy, Diplomacy

England (conclusion) Henry VII (cont’d)

- 1501 marries his son to Catherine of Aragon, the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain

- 1509 – Henry VII diesEngland is at peace – (after 200

years) Economically stableMonarchy has regained prestige