An examination of the Renaissance as a cultural phenomenon which was patronised by a capitalist society. The author pulls together the different aspects of "renaissance", highlighting the importance of economic, political, military, religious, ceremonial, intellectual, literary and artistic factors in its development. The text also focuses on wealthy cities such as Florence, Venice and Rome, but sets them in the wider context of the peninsula as a whole. In addition, the fundamental issues of what Renaissance men and women thought about themselves and their world are analyzed through researched historiography and source material. There are summary diagrams, along with advice for students on note-taking and examination skills.