Petrarch

1304 – 1374

Italian scholars, inspired by newly recovered Greek and Roman texts, place humanity—not theology—at the center of inquiry. Humanists like Petrarch, Erasmus,…

• 1440 CE

  Renaissance humanism reshapes learning

  Italian scholars, inspired by newly recovered Greek and Roman texts, place humanity—not theology—at the center of inquiry. Humanists like Petrarch, Erasmus, and Pico della Mirandola redefine education, art, and statecraft, setting the stage for the Scientific Revolution and Reformation.