AP EURO Flashcards
Grandi
The old rich, the nobles, and merchants who traditionally ruled the city of Florence
Popolo grosso
The emergent new rich merchant class of capitalists and bankers in Florence. Also known as “fat people.”
Popolo minuto
The “little people” or the lower Florentine economic classes.
Ciompi Revolt
A great successful revolt of the poor in 1378. Resulted in a 4 year reign of power by the lower Florentine classes.
Cosimo de’ Medici
The wealthiest Florentine. Manipulated Florence from behind the scenes by influencing the Constitution and election.
Lorenzo the Magnificent
The grandson of Cosimo de’ Medici. Ruled Florence in a nearly totalitarian fashion. As the podesta, he maintained law and order.
Signoria
Initially made up of six members and later of eight members, this council governed Florence.
Podesta
The title Lorenzo the Magnificent held. The purpose of the office was to maintain law and order. Executive, military, and judicial authority was possessed by the officeholder.
Condottieri
These military brokers provided mercenary armies for despots in Florence.
Machiavelli
Author of “The Prince,” this man detailed how to obtain power, how to use it, and how to keep it.
The Prince
Nicolo Machiavelli’s masterpiece. Machiavelli explained how to obtain power, how to use it, and how to keep it.
Leonardo Bruni
This Florentine first gave the name “humanitas” or “humanity,” to the learning that resulted from the scholarly pursuits of the Renaissance. A pupil of Manuel Chrysoloras.
Manuel Chrysoloras
A Byzantine scholar who opened the world of Greek scholarship to a generation of young Italian humanists when he taught at Florence.
Petrarch
The “father of humanism.” He celebrated ancient Rome in his “Letters to the Ancient Dead.” Also wrote a Latin epic poem named “Africa” and a set of biographies of famous Roman men called “Lives of Illustrious Men.”
Letters to the Ancient Dead
Petrarch’s masterpiece to celebrate ancient Rome.