The Renaissance as a Beautiful Historical Period - Essay Example

Western Civilization Change of the position of Pope in the 18th and 19th Centuries Putting the papacy diplomatic skills aside, the popes that reigned in the 17th through the 18th century were hard to change with regards to their escalating levels of national royal control in lines with their ever rising autonomy of local and national doctrines as well as the clergy. The national doctrines of German, French and Austrian provenance, which are respectively referred to as Febronianism, Gallicanism and Josephism, aided in reducing the prerogatives of papacy. These reduced the powers of popes politically to a state of no powers at all. This decline became totally manifested in the year 1773, when, succumbing to the Bourbons, the Jesuits were suppressed by Clement XIV, and whom were the loyal most supporters of the position of papacy. Later onwards, just after several years, in spite of the re-launching of the French church following the Revolution by the 1801’s Concordat, Pius VII got imprisoned by Napoleon Bonaparte and this marked the death of the office of pope. In actual sense, the imprisonment aforementioned foresaw the fall of the papal mundane power. Despite the fact that during the Napoleonic Wars, there was the reestablishment of the Papal States by the 1815’s Congress of Vienna, they were annexed by force to the newly established 1870’s Italian kingdom. At this point, thus, the pope did not hold any national status. There was a treaty that was done in Rome, which was an independent Vatican state, which granted back the sovereignty of papacy. However, this was seen to leave the papacy position with a position of political influence as opposed to political powers. As a paradox, the loss of powers by papacy during the 1800s came with a recovery as far as prestige is concerned. This development was courtesy of the French Revolution that triggered a reaction by the monarchist and the coming up of constitutional governments. With the reinstatement of monarchs of the European Catholic brought with it a conservative ally in the papacy position as opposed to a jurisdictional opponent. Afterwards, following the breaking up of the links of the clergy to royal regime policies by the constitutional governments’ institution, Catholics got their sovereignty to react to the brand new papal authority. This followed that the popes of the 1800s and 1900s came to carry out the authority that was established in the 18th century, with escalating levels of vigor as well as every religious life aspect. The important officiating of Pius IX, who reigned from 1846 through 1878, serves as an example of the global control the papacy had on the global Catholic missionary actions Pius IX serving as a pioneer. (mb-soft.co, 2011) 2. Changes brought about by Renaissance culture over that of the Medieval world The major changes witnessed in the area of Western Europe in the middle ages, combined with their interaction with Islam and Byzantium, saw a new time period of both exploration and experiment. This is what came to be referred to as Renaissance. This term is taken to mean rebirth and in the line of the civilization of the western society, it is that revived interest in its heritage of Greco-Roman. Renaissance carried with it a new form of appreciation as far as Ancient Romans and Greeks were concerned and in the lines of the balancing of the overwhelming adoption of religion. This period should, however, not be viewed as antireligious, but as an inter-linkage of the developments of religion in the Medieval times and the secular factors. In Italy, the Renaissance factor set in from around 1100. The nationals of Italy grew their interest in the learning as well as the culture of the Roman Empire of the Eastern area due to the escalated interaction during the periods of Crusades. The result was a re-innovation of the Classical times of the past by year 1200. Arts and literature were the pioneering areas where this movement was reflected and it became a domineering factor from the 14th through the 16th centuries. While the other regions of the European continent were going through the last period of Medieval, Italy as a nation was well in the Renaissance period. However, when Renaissance got to the nations in the Northern side of Europe, it took a varying form. While Humanism, which arose in Italy in the 1300s and which was the glorification of the human form as both beautiful as well as the mind of humans having the ability to invent truth by the Classical World, emphasized on avoiding pride and ego, Renaissance was different. The Renaissance had artists sign their names upon their works of art, and expected artists to become famous, unlike the medieval times where artists dedicated their works of art to glorify God and thus, did not sign their names on their works. The artists, who operated during the Renaissance times, became celebrated, besides their achieving a lot of wealth. They became of more essence while compared to patrons or their financiers since there would be a demand for any of his works. The Renaissance advocated for persons to take up numerous interests. Therefore, there was an expression known as Renaissance man that referred to an individual with multiple talents. The best example of a Renaissance man was Benvenuto Cellini. As a matter of fact he was writer, a goldsmith and a sculptor and an artist. This kind of man is still advocated for in the contemporary society. (Willner, Hero and Weiner, 2006 p255) The Renaissance forms a very beautiful historical period, which had numerous tales of regal etiquette, unbelievable artists, grand wealth and inventors. In fact the lifestyles witnessed in the Renaissance period were very enjoyable. However, this period was not without a dark side where oppression, cruelty, disease, poverty and civil leadership disregard was witnessed. As opposed to the trend where most major eras set in without much tragedy and a following glorious period, the Renaissance came with a great deal of devastation. By the time Medieval Age came to an end, there were numerous cities which had cropped in Europe as well as a growing middle-class society with a strong anchorage. At the early part of the Renaissance, life in these cities made quite a significant variance leaving a situation that is hard to forget. From the point 1350 set in through 1450, there was the Black Death, which led to the demise of about a half of the European population. A very small part of the population survived this plague. It was a very contagious plague that spread throughout the cities and the only way to escape it was to move upcountry from the cities. The highly wealthy were not bothered, however, since they could manage solutions. Therefore, the biggest burdens befell the middle-class and the impoverished. This age was also full of other losses, besides the Black Death. There was also a devastating depression that hit Europe during this period as well. Following the demise of half of the European population, there was a big depression economically since tradesmen and merchants could not find customers for the sustainability of the economy. Subsequent to the end of the Black Death, populations went back to the cities and following this there was a resurgence of the life of Renaissance and the globe was changed for eternity. (realarmorofgod.com, 2011) Work Cited: realarmorofgod.com. The Renaissance. (2011). Retrieved 6 December 2011 http://www.realarmorofgod.com/renaissance-era.html mb-soft.com. Papacy. (2011). Retrieved 6 December 2011 http://mb- soft.com/believe/txc/papacy.htm Willner Mark , Hero George and Weiner Jerry. Global History Volume I: The Ancient World to the Age of Revolution. Edition illustrated, revised. Barrons Educational Series. (2006). p255. Read More