RENAISSANCE SOCIETY

Notes - 8-20-13

The Renaissance saw some changes in the

division of society into three estates, or social

classes.

1st Estate– Clergy

2nd Estate– Nobles

3rd Estate – Peasants/Townspeople

THE NOBLE (2ND)

The noble was expected to fulfill certain

ideals. Baldassare Castiglione (Ca-steel-yo-nay)

expressed these in the Book of Courtier.

He described the characteristics of a perfect

Renaissance noble.

2-3% of the population.

CHARACTERIST ICS OF A PERFECT NOBLE :

A noble was born, not made.

Nobles were expected to have talent, character,

and grace.

Nobles had to perform military and physical

exercise.

Nobles had to gain a classical education.

A noble had to enrich their life with arts.

A noble also had to follow a standard of conduct.

Nobles were to show their achievements with

grace.

The goal of a perfect noble was to serve his prince

honestly.

Nobles followed Castiglione’s principles for

centuries.

PEASANTS (3RD)

Peasants made up 85-90% of the total European

population, except in highly urban centers.

Serfdom decreased.

More peasants became legally free.

TOWNSPEOPLE (3RD)

Townspeople comprised the remainder of the third estate.

Patricians, burghers, workers, and the unemployed made

up the three classes of the towns.

Patricians (people of noble birth) had wealth from trade,

banking and industry.

The Burghers were the shopkeepers, artisans and guild

members who provided goods and services for the

townspeople.

LIFE IN THE TOWNSWorkers made pitiful wages.

During the late 1300s and 1400s, urban poverty

increased dramatically.

To maintain the family, parents arranged

marriages (often to strengthen family or business

ties). The arrangement between families was sealed

with a marriage contract, which included the terms

of a dowry, a sum of money the bride’s family paid

to the groom.

FAMILY ROLES

The Father-Husband was the center of the

Italian family. • He gave the family his name, managed

the finances, and made the decisions that determine his children’s lives.

The Mother’s role was to supervise the

household.

CHILDREN IN RENAISS ANCE SOCIETY

The father’s authority over his children

was absolute.

Children did not become adults by just

simply reaching a certain age.

The father had to go before a judge and

formally free a child from his authority for

that child to be recognized as an adult.