The Small Renaissance Part of the Century

The Small Renaissance Part of the Century

Craft Guilds* become stronger and more widespread. Production increases and literary, musical and artistic activities thrive. Individual artists start putting their name to their works.

1250 - German drama begins to be visible with the Easter Play of Muri*. 1252 The Inquisition (which has been around for a while) begins to use instruments of torture.

This institution will really get up and running later. The avowed purpose is to identify and punish heresy.

1250's During this decade the Mongols* destroy Bagdad* and kill the Caliph of Islam. 1254 Louis* returns to France. 1255 The church finally gives in and permits all Aristotelian work into the curriculum of

universities. 1258 Mongols* take Bagdad and overthrow the caliphate. This puts another big dent in the

remains of the Islamic Empire.

The House of Commons is established in England, giving some measure of power to the commoner people.

The Mongols* are about to attack Egypt when their current Khan dies and most of them troop home for the election giving the Arabs a breathing space.

1259 In Egypt the Mamluks* finally seize the throne of Egypt 1260 and when the Mongols* threaten the eastern borders (with their depleted forces) the

Mamluks* rout them. This ruins the Mongol reputation for invincibility and stops their western movement.

Back home the Mongols* have elected Kublai Khan* as their leader. The Mongol* Empire begins to fall into separate pieces while the main group takes over all of China*. In Persia the Mongol* Ilkhans rule; in Sari on the Volga the Golden Horde* controls the Kipchak Khanate; most of Russia is ruled by the Mongol* Batu; and in Samarkand the Mongol* Chagatai rule the central Asian steppes as the Chagtai Khanate*. So now, the Mongolian hordes are settling in and contributing to the gene pool of a whole bunch of different places.

1261 - In Italy, a Confraternita* produces a splendidly staged sacra rapprasentatione* (sacred representation) at Treviso.

c. 1261 More saint plays appear in France, Miracle of Theophile*, by Rutebeuf* , as well as plays about St. Catherine and St. Paul. All these plays center around miracles and later there will be a category of Miracle Plays*.

1262 - That prolific author Adam de la Halle* comes up with an interesting work called Jeu

de la Feuille* which may be the earliest secular work we have, a play with music, the first French "operette." *One of the things that is interesting about it is his use of characters that seem to owe their origins to pagan demon cults (although they also would be right at home in an Etruscan* farce.) These characters have been used by the populace when they have celebrations in which an army of damned souls, or souls of the dead, go screaming in a wild chase all over town. They wear animal masks (particularly asses ears), loud bells, etc. In plays, these demons and devils show up in many forms but the chief one is the character of the chief devil called Herlequin, who will grow into the stock Commedia dell'Arte* character of Arlecchino*. Later yet, he will be known as Harlequin.

1264 - In Rome there are organizations of Actor's fraternities* called the Lord's Minstrels*. 1264 Thomas Aquinas* writes Summa Contra Gentiles (in philosophy and theology)

reconciling the dual modes of thought (St. Augustine* and Aristotle*) into a double standard and splits philosophy off from theology. He will be putting out more writings for another ten years.

Roger Bacon* (philosopher) writes De Computo Naturali. All this philosophy business is helping lay the ground work for breaking the church's

intellectual monopoly.

1264 The Feast of Corpus Christi* is inaugurated. It is a part of the new interest in the life of this world (going along with the new cult of the Eucharist, the elevation of the Host and the dogma of transubstantiation.) This will provide one of the biggest theatrical opportunities in the coming centuries.