The fall of Constantinople in 1453
Constantinople was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. It was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1453. Many Greek scholars fled to Italy. They brought priceless ancient Greek and Roman manuscripts with them. These books were full of ideas from the ancient world which Italians had never seen.
Wealth from Trade
Italy's position in the middle of the Mediterranean meant that it had grown rich on trade in goods coming overland from the East, such as silks and spices. These merchants wanted to spend their money on works of art and architecture to show their great wealth and power.
New Ideas from Trade
These merchants travelled to China, India and Arabia and returned with ideas from these advanced civilisations. For example, they learned about mathematics from the Arabs.
Patrons
A patron was a wealthy person who commissioned an artist to produce a work of art for them. There were many different types of arts during the Renaissance. The Catholic Church spent a lot of money to decorate their churches and cathedrals. Kings and governments wanted artworks that would glorify their countries and cities. Individuals commissioned artists so that they could show off their wealth. An example of a patron would be Lorenzo de Medici.