European renaissance unplugged

During the middle ages, when Feudal Europe witnessed a period of intellectual and cultural stagnation, the cities of Italy such as Venice, Florence, and Milan prospered as trading posts connecting Europe to the Byzantine Empire and the Muslim world via the Mediterranean Sea. Unlike the rest of Europe, feudalism had not established itself in Northern Italy, where commerce and mercantilism became an integral activity of daily life.

The Black Death that caused widespread devastation in Europe during the 1350's struck Florence hard, causing the loss of almost 90 percent of its populace. This familiarity with death made survivors dwell more on their lives on Earth, rather than on spirituality and the afterlife. The Italian people, especially the educated middle class, became interested in individual achievement and emphasized life in this world, as opposed to preparation for life in the next world. Side by side, the Black Death also prompted a new wave of piety that manifested in the sponsorship of religious works of art.

http://en.oboulo.com/timeline-of-european-renaissance-65029.html