Renaissance

The Cruel History of Dancing Bears in European Courts

Magnificent bears were once captured from distant lands or acquired through shrewd trade. They were made a spectacle amidst the grandeur of banquets and feasts of medieval and Renaissance Europe. They took center stage, their immense power harnessed for a different, more unusual purpose: entertainment. These majestic creatures were trained by skilled bearwardens. They were …

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Why Did the Renaissance Begin in Italy?

The Renaissance was a period of major intellectual, artistic, and cultural innovations from about 1350 AD to 1630 AD.  The word “renaissance” is French for “rebirth,” but it would probably be more appropriate to use the Italian “Renascimento” since it was on the Italian peninsula that these transformations really first took root.  You’ve no doubt …

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