Renaissance Timeline

  • Charles I is elected Holy Roman Emperor
    800

    Charles I is elected Holy Roman Emperor

    Became the emporer of the Holy Roman Empire on Christmas day, 800. Was called Charlemagne or Charles The Great
  • Dante writes Divine Comedy
    1308

    Dante writes Divine Comedy

    Completed just before his death in 1321, very religious based (based on a journey to hell, written at the end of the middle ages)
  • Chaucer writes The Canterbury Tales
    1387

    Chaucer writes The Canterbury Tales

    A journey to a holy place in order to earn favor in God's sight and improve the condition of one's soul written in the end of the middle ages. Very religious
  • Donatello creates his statue of St. George
    1415

    Donatello creates his statue of St. George

    Made this carving for the armorers and sword makers in Florence
  • Italian Renaissance Begins
    1420

    Italian Renaissance Begins

  • The Medici family takes control of Florence
    1434

    The Medici family takes control of Florence

    Through banking and commerce, they slowly moved their way up the ranking until becoming the most powerful family in Florence
  • Jan van Eyck paints the Arnolfini portrait
    1434

    Jan van Eyck paints the Arnolfini portrait

    Northern renaissance and famous painting/portrait
  • Last Visconti Ruler of Milan
    1447

    Last Visconti Ruler of Milan

    Filippo Maria Visconti dies, ending the original line of Visconti’s
  • Christian humanism spreads in Northern Europe
    1450

    Christian humanism spreads in Northern Europe

    Revived interest in the nature of humanity with the Christian faith. It impacted art, changed the focus of religious scholarship, shaped personal spirituality, and helped encourage the Protestant Reformation. ( christian humanists believed the ability of human beings to reason and improve themselves. They thought that if people read the classics, especially basic works of Christianity, they would become more pious.)
  • Gutenberg prints Bible using movable type
    1455

    Gutenberg prints Bible using movable type

    First thing printed using a removable press, starts the modern society
  • Charles VIII of France invades Naples
    1495

    Charles VIII of France invades Naples

    Widely seen as the beginning of the end of the Italian Renaissance. Charles VIII invaded Italy to lay claim to the Kingdom of Naples, which composed most of southern Italy.
  • Leonardo da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa
    1503

    Leonardo da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa

    Famous painting by Leonardo De Vinci
  • Michelangelo begins panting the Sistine Chapel
    1508

    Michelangelo begins panting the Sistine Chapel

    Cornerstone of high-quality Renaissance artwork
  • Erasmus writes his satire The Praise of Folly
    1509

    Erasmus writes his satire The Praise of Folly

    The essay is a satirical criticism of many of the superstitions and other traditions held by European society at the time, and in particular the Roman Catholic Church
  • Machiavelli writes The Prince
    1513

    Machiavelli writes The Prince

    Start of political science, and this book was meant to be a handbook for rulers
  • Mary Tudor, “Bloody Mary,” becomes Queen of England
    1516

    Mary Tudor, “Bloody Mary,” becomes Queen of England

    First queen to reign over ireland and england
  • Martin Luther presents the Ninety-five Theses
    1517

    Martin Luther presents the Ninety-five Theses

    He published his '95 Theses', attacking papal abuses and the sale of indulgences. Luther had come to believe that Christians are saved through faith and NOT through their own efforts. This turned him against many of the major teachings of the Catholic Church.
  • The Church excommunicates Martin Luther
    1521

    The Church excommunicates Martin Luther

    The chief catalyst of protestantism, he pointed out the corruption of the Catholic church for making people pay for their sins to be forgiven.
  • Invading armies sack Rome
    1527

    Invading armies sack Rome

    Soldiers and mercenaries were mad at Rome for not being paid so they sacked Rome
  • Castiglione writes The Book of the Courtier
    1528

    Castiglione writes The Book of the Courtier

    It was about the perfect traits of a noble
  • War between the Protestant and Catholic states in Switzerland
    1529

    War between the Protestant and Catholic states in Switzerland

    Catholics badly defeated the Protestants, and Zwingli was killed
  • Henry VIII creates the Church of England
    1534

    Henry VIII creates the Church of England

    He made the new church by renouncing the pope (iring him) because he wouldn't allow him to divorce his wife and marry a new person, he then made himself the head of the church
  • The Act of Supremacy is passed in England
    1534

    The Act of Supremacy is passed in England

    This made the reigning monarch in charge of the church too, kicking the Pope out of power.
  • The Society of Jesus becomes a religious order
    1534

    The Society of Jesus becomes a religious order

    A Roman Catholic order of religious men founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola, noted for its educational, missionary, and charitable works introduced several innovations in the form of the religious life
  • The Council of Trent is formed
    1545

    The Council of Trent is formed

    To solve the religious divisions of Germany and to reform the Catholic Church. It can be said that the Council of Trent was very successful and very important in the reform of the Catholic Church
  • The Peace of Augsburg divides Germany
    1555

    The Peace of Augsburg divides Germany

    This was a treaty signed between Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and the Schmalkaldic League, and it established official toleration for Lutherans in The Holy Roman Empire