1469- 1527 - Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian politician who's ideas have come to embody an ideal of political power. Machiavelli served as a secretary to the Florentine Council of Ten, and as a diplomat. When the Medici regained control of Florence in 1512, Machiavelli was forced into exile where his …

Civic humanism was an ideal that emerged in the Italian Renaissance, 1400.Many people believed that the only way to truly mature as an individual was to participate in the life of the state. They believed that the study of humanities could be used to ensure the overall wellbeing of …

1304- 1374 - Petrarch was a Florentine, though he primarily lived outside of Florence. Petrarch is attributed in the revival of the classics, and the foundation of Italian Renaissance humanism. He is considered one of the greatest lyric poets of the time, and many of his sonnets are inspired by his …

At it's height, in the fifteenth century the House of Medici was the most prominent banking family in Europe. Originally a cloth producer, the Medicis gained great power in commerce, real estate and finance that spread throughout northern Italy, France, and even into England. The Medici family's power declined after …

The Hanseatic League was formed in the thirteenth century. Several German coastal towns, including L"ubeck, Hamburg, and Bremen formed a commercial and military league to obtain commercial breaks and to protect themselves from pirates. The League grew rapidly and by 1500 it had grown to as many as eighty …

1265- 1321 - Dante was a Florentine noble who was exiled from his political office. Dante is well known for his work the Divine Comedy which he wrote between 1313- 1321, while in exile. Dante's work depicts the progression of a soul through the process of salvation.