Renaissance of the 12th century
A period of intellectual and economic revival in High Medieval Europe.
The Renaissance of the 12th century was a period of many changes at the outset of the High Middle Ages, encompassing social, political, and economic transformations as well as an intellectual revitalization of Western Europe with strong philosophical and scientific roots. These changes paved the way for later achievements such as the Italian Renaissance of the 15th century and the scientific developments of the 17th century. It has been identified as the third and final of the medieval renaissances, following the Carolingian and Ottonian periods, though some medieval historians argue that connecting the term 'renaissance' to the two previous periods is misleading.
- period
- 12th century
- field
- Intellectual, cultural, and economic history
- region
- Western Europe
- known_for
- Revival of learning, Scholasticism, translation movement, rise of universities, Gothic architecture
- preceded_by
- Carolingian Renaissance and Ottonian Renaissance
Lore & Background
During the 12th century, Scholasticism emerged, marked by a systematic and rational approach to theology, strengthened by new Latin translations of ancient and medieval Islamic and Jewish philosophers including Avicenna, Maimonides, and Averroes. The early 12th century saw a revival of Latin classics and literature, with cathedral schools like Chartres and Canterbury becoming centers of study. Aristotelian logic later gained prominence in emerging universities, displacing Latin literary traditions until revived by Petrarch in the 14th century. The translation of texts from other cultures, especially ancient Greek works, was an important aspect of this renaissance. Increased contact with the Islamic world brought a resurgence of learning, as Islamic philosophers and scientists preserved and expanded upon ancient Greek works, especially those of Aristotle and Euclid, which were translated into Latin. The era of the Crusades brought large groups of Europeans into contact with the technologies and luxuries of Byzantium, stimulating a new appetite for trade.
Reader's Guide
The Renaissance of the 12th century is significant because it laid the groundwork for later European achievements in art, science, and philosophy. Harvard professor Charles Homer Haskins was the first historian to write extensively about this renaissance, describing it as an age of fresh and vigorous life that saw the culmination of Romanesque art and the beginnings of Gothic, the emergence of vernacular literatures, the revival of Latin classics and Roman law, the recovery of Greek science and philosophy, and the origin of the first European universities. Abbot Suger of the Abbey of St. Denis is considered an influential early patron of Gothic architecture, believing that love of beauty brought people closer to God. The period also saw significant technological advancements that spurred economic growth, and the translation movement brought ancient Greek and Islamic knowledge to Western Europe. Some medieval historians have since argued that the term 'renaissance' is misleading when applied to the Carolingian and Ottonian periods, but the 12th-century renaissance was far more thoroughgoing.
Did You Know?
- The Renaissance of the 12th century has been identified as the third and final of the medieval renaissances.
- Abbot Suger of the Abbey of St. Denis is considered an influential early patron of Gothic architecture.
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