Notes 11/5/10

• Christine de Pizan-
• 1365-1434
• Writer in the Renaissance
• Wrote a history of famous women
• Often referred to as the first feminist

• Isabella d'Este-
• Most famous woman of the Renaissance
• Born into a ruling family
• Married into a ruling family
• Known as an art patron
• Perfect example of Castiglione's ideal courtly lady

• Erasmus- 
• Humanist
• Worked on editing editions of the New Testament
• Best known text is a satire (political comedy) called The Praise of Folly
• Made fun of Pope Julius II
• Lead the papal army to war 
• Commissioned Michelangelo for the Sistine Chapel
• Continued to write in Latin

• Thomas More- 
• Leading humanist in England
• Statesman and Lord Chancellor under Henry VIII
• Coined the word utopia
• the perfect society
• Imprisoned in the Tower of London and executed
• Became a Saint

• Montaigne
• The major writer/thinker in France during the Renaissance
• Statesman and author 
• Invented the personal essay

• Johannes Gutenberg
• Created the printing press in 1456
• First published the Gutenberg Bible
• By 1500 there were 8-20 million books printed
• Allowed for the transmission of writing to move all around Europe
• Had a major effect on the success of the Protestant Reformation

• Martin Luther
• Very devout Catholic monk
• Saw a problem with the heirarchy of the Catholic Church
• October 31, 1517- 95 Theses
• Martin Luther's 4 Key Beliefs
• Salvation is achieved by faith alone
• The Bible is the only valid authority for Christian life
• The Church consists of a priesthood of all believers; no Pope, all people would be equal
• All vocations have equal merit

• John Calvin
• Believed that God was good, people were wicked, and very few people would be saved
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