Renaissance - Famous guys and their acomplishments

Christine de Pisan

Dec 14, 1363

She was born in Venice, Italy. When she was 5, she moved with her family to France. She received a high-class education since her father worked at the French court. She studied literature, philosophy, and Latin. Her writings are mostly about women''s rights in the society. Her work earned her great fame during the Renaissance. She died at 61 in 1430.

Johannes Gutenberg

Dec 14, 1395

Although not much is know about his early life, scholars believe that he grew up in Mainz, Germany. Gutenberg is the inventor of the machine that changed the printing world, the movable printing press. The first book that was printed and published was "The Forty-Two-Line" Bible. The printing press was very important because it helped the Renaissance spread. Books could be copied and sold to a mass of people easily.

Bramente

Sep 14, 1444

An Italian architect. As a child he loved to draw although he was mostly recognized through architecture. His recognition came when he was asked by the pope, Julius II, to be the chief architect of the St Peter's Basilica. Bramente is also known for having introduced the Renaissance architecture in Rome. He had a normal death at 70 in 1514

Leonardo Da Vinci

Apr 15, 1452

Italian painter, inventor, mathematician, engineer, and sculptor.
At 14, he was an apprenctice of Verocchio, a famous artist. It was during that time that Leonardo was introduced to the basics of painting and sculpting. When he was 20, he already owned his own workshop. He is the author of the "Mona Lisa", a painting regarded by many as the greatest painting of all times. Another famous work is "The Last Supper", which displays Jesus' last meal with his disciples. Leonardo died in France on may.

Erasmus

Dec 14, 1466

Dutch theologian. His parents died in 1483 from the plague and he was raised by some close friends of his parents. Erasmus received a good education and became a teacher. He gained fame while teaching in Paris. In Paris, he had the opportunity to meet some famous thinkers such as Thomas More and John Colet who greatly influenced his work. His most famous work was the translation of the New Testament into Greek. Erasmus is considered as one of the greatest thinkers and theologians of all time.

Sir Thomas More

Feb 7, 1478

English thinker. More had an excellent education. His father was a very succesful man so More attented one of the best schools in London at that time. He was a monk but he was later appointed as the chancellor of King Henry VII. His close relationship with Erasmus inspireed him to write "Utopia", a fiction book where reason was the key and answer to everything. In 1535, he refused to acknowldge Heny VIII as the Head of the Church, so, he was accused of treason and beheaded.

Raphael

Apr 6, 1483

Born in Italy. After the death of his mother(8 years old), Leonardo went to work as an apprenctice for Peruigino, a famous painter at that time, where he learned the basics of sculpting. He gained a lof of fame as a painter and architect. His most famous work is 'The Sistine Madonna". He died yound at 37 leaving some of his paintings undone.

Martin Luther

Dec 14, 1483

German monk. Born in Mainz, Germany. Luther aspired to become a monk but his father had other plans for him. So, he was enrolled in a law school where he got his Master's degree in 1505. Later that year, he was involved in an terrible accident but survived. Therefore, he decided to become a monk because he thought it was God's calling. In 1517, he published his 95 thesis that criticized the Catholic Church. This led to the Protestant Reformation. He died peacefully on Febuary 8, 1546.

Michelangelo

Dec 14, 1500

Italian painter and scupltor. He became an apprenctice to a scupltor where he learned sculpting skills. Them he moved somewhere else to learn the art of painting. Since his abilities in painting and sculpting exceeded normal, his fame came very early. "David", a 14-feet tall marble statute, was sculpted by Michelangelo and was recognized as a real masterpiece. He died in 1564 in Rome.

William Shakespeare

Apr 23, 1564

English playwright and poet. His plays are very famous around the world although not much is recorded about him. At 18 he married Anne Hathaway with whom he had 3 children - one of them died. Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and King Lear are some of his famous plays. He died in 1616 aged about 52.