The Plague, Book Printing and Humanists: Changes in Mentality

The course is focused on the development of the European medieval and renaissance society from the 14th up to the 16th century – one of the most dynamic periods in the European history. Plague shook certainties and institutions of the medieval society. Disturbed and traumatized society sought for enemy and persecuted witches and Jewish population. But it succeeded in overcoming the crisis and created a unique type of religious humanism, at first in Italy and later in whole Europe. European mentality underwent a transformation and the world view of the European society has been changed due to technical innovations and overseas discoveries.

The main aim of the course is to show the ways of countering new challenges and phenomena of crisis in the European society of 14th – 16th century. Not only as a source of knowledge of our shared past, but also as an inspiration for the present time. The course aims to highlight the role of creativity and endurance of the late medieval society as the foundation for the development of the European nations in Modern Times.