As the months and years pile up here, this blog has attempted to highlight almost as many stories, places, times and personalities as possible that inhabited the european renaissance world in the brief period 1476-1526. This era was chosen as subject matter mostly because of its many similarities with our own period in the west of 1976- 2026. The similarities seem to be both macro- - thus affecting and effecting large masses or movements of people - and micro, as related to ceremony, culture, and even internal, or pychological motives, even 'feelings'.
However any of these are defined, the similarities we have with those in the past - this much must be assumed - show us ourselves. But even with these and especially, the wide gaps in our learning - theirs about them and ours about us - these too can also point out both. The stark differences on the larger scale of people, but also sometimes the weaknesses that we all share. Definitions and direct comparisons will have to come at some other time, while hinted at previously. For now, they must be set aside, as a bit of housekeeping is in order.
A way of describing what is here then is a collection of edits. Such a drawing together, this collecting of the disparate threads, under a single heading - even without giving hint to the multitudes that lay beyond, the pages and pages of interlocking story and many rises and falls of people, set out in years- could simply be here to call this a hinge. This post is a hinge. In latin that is,
cardo; this post then becomes
Cardinem Fecit, 'a hinge made'.
Many stories and texts and links offered, here, by way of introduction, analysis, summary or review are left suspended as more stories and texts and contexts come into view, as the days and months and years go by. Just as it is in our times and in real life. Stories of people or cities, conflicts, disasters, crime and holidays fill our news columns, as well as the pages of someone like Marin Sanudo. But hopefully, it is only the form of presentation that now and then, at times mimics that of such a 'diarist' like him. What this blog is attempting is something a bit different than daily logs of news as it reached Venice.
The motive here is comparative, the method is parallel. But as we moderns look at the world differently than Venetians or Spaniards of those days would, as Italians or the French would, so those in those days wanted to see what is known, as well. This was a new idea to many: to find out what is known, internally and externally, macro- and microsopically. This basic idea was huge in Europe then and made possible by the proliferation of books and the printing press. Today, the analogy is the 'digital revolution' and the internet. Of course, this simple observation is not new as many have made it before. Much has changed between now and then, but much has remained the same.
Looking at as many topics and stories, persons and places, as possible of those times, it is the similarities with us that are most common. But when there are differences, they are stark and far-reaching. Just a few examples makes the point.
The Catholic Church, in all its many forms was the final arbiter of justice and legal jurisprudence then. State governments, in most instances simply did not have the power or resources to do that, except when accomplished by Imperial, Kingly or Princely fiat. An idea that seemed both old and new to them, and then, used usually with religious confirmation or on advice from trusted clergy. Kings, Presidents, Parliaments and Courts seldom use religious advice or sanction now, of course. Instead, turns of phrase and simple declarations of 'religious understanding' are repeated in public pronouncements, as a kind of frame seemingly for public acceptance. Phrases like 'under God', 'God save', 'God Bless America', or 'so solemnly swear.'
In the arena of Security then, the advance of the cannon and the smaller arquebus as used by Turkish sultan and French king or a mercenary-proseletizer like Cortes, was to have epoch changing effects. A new form of defense became necessary that would change the scope and importance of the state itself, for centuries. In our times, the advance of the airplane, the drone and the terrorist bomb, has had many of the same effects.
In Venice, Genoa, and with a few other familial loan-concerns, new forms of creating and building credit were being explored, expanded, refined and yes, distributed all over Europe. Today, the extensions of these methods - of creating and spreading credit-wealth where it had not been before - have taken hold of all markets in the entire world. Everyone's future now is married to these global interests. Whether states, religions or people like the changes and advances, or not.
These basic ideas inform the selection of all the prior and future postings here. Both the similarities and the differences between them and us, now and then are, sometimes explicitly referred to and also, casually left unsaid. The intent and the method is not to form conclusions or opinions, but only to inform, showing also a way toward seeing transparency of methods, so the reader can do one's own research. Primary sources are highly prized and most frequently used here, but modern scolarship also inevitably plays a large role in presentation, translation, discussion. We cannot live in any age but our own and with it comes the prejudices, linguistic and cultural biases and methods that surround us now. Hopefully we are lucky looking again to the future.
The multitude of advances in the means of uncovering and learning history that have been made in the 20th century, that in so many ways utilize so many techniques in understanding our past, give us much to do and look at. If only to sift thru and thereby try to understand ourselves. It is up to humanity to thus be able, hopefully as a whole, to provide a plain viewing platform for a digital world.
