From the artistic genius of Da Vinci to Machiavellian philosophy, discover the true happenings of the Italian Renaissance and learn what popular history may have gotten wrong.

The Italian Renaissance was one of the transformational periods of European history, one in which the modern concepts of the autonomous individual, the validity of lived experience on earth, and the ideal of self-fashioning were defined and exemplified through the lives and writing of eminent Italians. Yet in the time since this age of transformation, widespread myths and misconceptions about the reality and beliefs of the Italian Renaissance have grown and spread. By working to explain and correct these fictions, this book shows how the roles of urban life, economic expansion, social mobility, and political experimentation all contributed to the reordering of the Italian world. Looking at not only the oft point of focus Florence but also at places like Venice, principalities such as Milan and Mantua, and papal Rome, the book examines how Italy at this time proved a hotbed of social, cultural, and political experimentation.

The revolutionary ideas and practices developed in the Renaissance were challenged by those who saw the Renaissance in negative terms, including some medievalists, historians, traditional Catholics and contemporary scholars. The unique format of this book shows how these opponents of the Italian Renaissance spread myths and how that has shaped widespread views today. Looking at history, philosophy, art, society, and culture, this volume provides an accessible and engaging overview of the Italian Renaissance and its impact on our worldview today.