French Rebirth

The Renaissance occurred in France with an important delay compared to the Italy, whose primary reason was the continuation of the Guerre One hundred Year old until in 1453, into very 1477 (Bataille of Nancy), whereas the artistic process of Renaissance was started as of the 15th century at least in Italy and in many areas of Europe (Flandres, the Rhineland, Alsace, Portugal…).

As in Italy, its characteristic features were the thirst for living, the Confiance in the Homme, the appetite of the To know, the Esprit of free examination. This movement called into question the Mentalité S of the Moyen-âge and sought new forms of Vie and Civilization. Indeed, possibilities of diffusion of the Information by the Printing works, and the discovery of a New world beyond the Atlantic, deeply modified the vision of the world of the Homme S of this time.

French rebirth

the rebirth is the time of the painters, of the sculteurs who are employed for the large kings as in France with François 1st

French origins and specificities

The historians often regarded as starting point of this movement in France, the beginning of the Guerres of Italy (1515), while its end is marked by the signature of the Édit of Nantes (1598). It was indeed the rebirth in Italy which caused a similar movement in France.

See Italian Rebirth

In a vision very directed towards the role of the French sovereign, one indeed sees who one of the releases of the Rebirth in France was the fact that it was the king François Ier who invited Italian artists to design his royal residences in the Loire Valley.

Nevertheless, of the hearths of rebirth existed before in other areas.

The French Renaissance referred specific compared to the movements which took place in the other European countries. First of all, it was carried out under the direct influence of the Italian Renaissance: the designs of the French on art of living and to think changed thanks to the contact with the work of the Italian during the Guerres of Italy. Then, the forces of the French movement were agitated, in a very great measurement, by the Aristocratie and not only by the Bourgeoisie.

The contemporaries, taken of an enthusiasm without terminals for the renewal in all the fields, called their work “ war against ignorance ”, “ golden age ”, etc They called into question certain milked of the culture medieval E.

Nevertheless, all that took place at the 16th century is the continuity of the processes of the previous centuries, in particular the result of asset in many fields of knowledge: statements of the missionaries and Exploring S (botanical, Cartography…), techniques of positioning and navigation… In France, these innovations were felt only as of second half of the 16th century.

The search of new forms of life and Civilization took as a starting point the ancient, Greek and Latin texts, whose redécouverte had started well before the 16th century (see Renaissance of XIIe century. The respect for the thought and wisdom antiques is kept living all along the century.

Reinforcement of the Monarchy: the Sovereignty

In France, the Rebirth had this of specific that, after the centralizing reign of Louis XI, the capacity of the king was accentuated on his vassal. One passed gradually from a mode of Suzeraineté to a mode of Souveraineté.

In fact, the developments in the technologies of war had an indirect influence on this change. The defense of the strong Châteaux became gradually ineffective because of invention of new weapons of war with longer range (bombards), so that new defensive systems had to be imagined. The inefficiency of the French Army during certain episodes of the Guerre One hundred Year old (Battle of Azincourt, 1415, in particular) was revealing of this change.

The Feudal Lord S whose “privileges” in the company Médiévale were compensated by their Responsabilité on the surrounding population in the event of aggression for the local community, did not have any more the same role. They assumed military responsibilities at the “national” level (and either room (in modern Langage), preserving nevertheless their privilege S.

The hierarchy of the Suzeraineté S was some upset. It was thus necessary to redefine the reciprocal responsibilities for the monarch, become the guaranteeing one of the Sécurité of the unified country. The principal theorist of the definition of the principle of sovereignty is Jean Bodin.

François I {{er}} was thus one of the first French monarchs, with the clean direction of the term (in the system Féodal, the kings were Suzerain S of their vassal, which lent oath of allegiance). One saw appearing the Absolutisme, strictly speaking, only with Henri IV, for which the responsibilities were increased following the edict of Nantes (1598), and especially with Louis XIII (under the very strong influence of Richelieu), and with Louis XIV, which was supported on this point by Bossuet.

Architecture

The most obvious demonstration of the Rebirth in France was the construction of residential castles in the Loire Valley. The first steps were consisted castles in a style prérenaissance built in Berry, close to Bourges (capital of the king Charles VI, near to the current road Jacques-Heart), whereas the north of France was not yet completely given of the after-effects of the Guerre One hundred Year old.

The largest castles “Rebirth” were built in Touraine. The main characters were the kings Charles VIII, Louis XII, François I {{er}}. The duchess Anne of Brittany played also a very great part…

The architecture of these castles slices with that of the strong Châteaux built as from the 11th century. One sees, with Blois for example, a transition between the " gothique" late and the Renaissance style. The castle of Chambord, and the other castles built later on, in particular those of the second rebirth, have a unit of style.

François I {{er}} called upon Italian artists for the construction of these castles: Chambord would have been conceived by Bernabei Domenico da Cortona.

See: Architecture of the Rebirth

Language

It is besides of this area of the Loire Valley that are originating several in the first large writer S in French language.

The king François I {{er}} settled then in Fontainebleau, where it transferred the royal library. François I {{er}} worked much for the French language: in 1539, it signed the Ordonnance of Villers-Cotterêts, which gave to the French language its Statut of Langue of the Droit and the administration. One of the features most characteristic of the rebirth in France, and most durable, is the appearance of the French like Official language, Statut granted by the Souverain. However, the vast majority of the population, especially in the provinces, continued to speak about the Dialecte S (Picardy, Norman…).

See:

History of French
French Writers born in XVe century
French Writers born in XVIe century

Education

The University of Paris, although having kept the prestige which it had acquired at the 13th century (Thomas d' Aquin), was late compared to the movement of rebirth of others Université S Européenne S: in particular Salamanque, Leuwen,… The revival was effective in the years 1530, when one felt intellectual effervescence then to appear.

Paris was then the university main city of Europe, with many colleges (approximately 80).

Ignace de Loyola decided to be formed with the Université of Paris, primarily because of the prestige which this university preserved in Europe, but also because of a greater tolerance.

François Xavier, disciple of Ignace de Loyola, had been also formed to him at the university of Paris.

The Jésuite S took again this tradition of education, by respecting the legacy which had left Thomas d' Aquin: Pierre Favre was a hellenist, and knew very well philosophy Scolastique, as well as the Philosophie of Aristote.

See:

Painting

The French Peinture was, in France more than in Italy, carried by the movement of construction of the castles impelled by the princes.

See: French Painters of XVIe century

Great discoveries

The participation of the France in the Grandes discoveries was done, for the reasons that one evoked, with delay compared to the countries of the south of Europe.

Whereas the Portugal had established a first colony in North Africa as of 1415, and had launched out in explorations around the Africa, whereas the Spanish navigators had reached America of the center and the south before the end of the 15th century, France awaited the year 1534 to send a forwarding towards the America: Jacques Cartier discovered new France (Canada).

Art of living

The time of the Renaissance corresponds to a major renewal in the manner of living:

One saw appearing in all the Europe, following the Grandes discoveries, of new Fruit S and Légume S,
the Gastronomie evolved/moved gradually.
the vestimentary practices also changed.

One can make go up with the Rebirth the Tradition of art of living to the Frenchwoman, who makes the Réputation France in the world, still today, and is worth to him comfortable incomes Touristique S.

See too

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