What factors led to thee beginning of the renaissance in northern europe?
The primary reasons for renaissance was economical and ideological than cultural as was the case in Italy. The northern Europe went through period of long economical growth, which enabled to concentrate extreme wealth and capital in booming cities. The cities and its inhabitants prospered from trade and manufacturing, especially from wool and textile industry. Through the 16th century, the largest cities in Europe were no more in Italy, but beyond the Alps. The economical boom fueled consumption, where people desired to spent money on numerous items not known (or too expensive to be owned) to medieval man, such as books, furniture, art, silverware, glassware. People were less willing to spent money on church. The rejection of the church power was ideological. The Reformation opened the gates of criticism of the Catholic church, which was seen as corrupt, immoral, and greedy. The wealth of the church was confiscated in the north and was not eating up resources. In medieval Europe, churc
