Northern Renaissance

Alfheim, painted in 1564 by Harald Ysoppasson, depicting the land of the fairies, Alfheim, in old Dalish mythology. At the center is Huld (female) and Púki (male), known together as the "Keepers of the Fairies", sometimes assigned the titles of King and Queen of the Fairies.

The Northern Renaissance is most commonly used to refer to the spread of Renaissance cultural, social, economic, and technological innovations into Lhedwinic nations. The late 15th century is most commonly accepted as the beginning of the Northern Renaissance and it is viewed as the chronological period which separates the Middle Ages from the Modern Era.

Its initiation is usually attributed to the final end of feudalism throughout most of Lhedwin, which opened the way for the cultural, social, and economic changes associated with the Renaissance. Increased use of money rather than land as a medium of exchange is also considered an important factor, as well as a general increase in agricultural productivity due to improving farming technology and methods. The centralizing of power within monarchs following the decline of feudal armies due to new military technology (such as gunpowder) is also cited.

The Northern Renaissance was heavily influenced by religion, especially Truathism, initially. From the beginning of the Renaissance until 1553, art, music, and literature were primarily studied within cathedrals and monasteries and formal training in literacy was most commonly conducted by the church. Additionally, most markets large enough to attract aspiring artists were in the courtyards of cathedrals and monasteries, as well. As a result, most early Renaissance poetry and art center around religious themes. By 1560, declining local autonomy of feudal lords inevitably weakened the long-established policy in which church officials helped keep the subjugated or dependent population under control in return for the tithes they received from the local aristocracy.

Consequently, the mid-16th century saw the rise of many secular institutions and beliefs. Humanism, perhaps the most significant, would lay the philosophical grounds for much of the art, music, and science which emerged from the later half of this period. Forms of artistic expression which a century ago would have been banned by the church were now tolerated or even encouraged in certain circles. Likewise, quicker and more effective transmission of these ideas was facilitated by the invention of the printing press. Its power to disseminate information enhanced scientific research, spread political ideas, and generally impacted the course of the Renaissance throughout the North. The printing press increased the availability of books and other forms of literature, as well.

The Butcher and the Merchant, painted in 1494 by Nikolai Madsen. It depicts a female butcher (left) bargaining with a male merchant (right) for a duck.

Patronage, especially in Glanodel, also saw a marked increase in frequency during this period primarily due to increased total wealth among the population and the rise of a merchant and urban middle class. While sponsorship of artists and the commissioning of artwork is the best-known aspect of the patronage system, other disciplines also benefited from patronage, including those who studied natural philosophy (science), musicians, writers, philosophers, and other scholars. It was a common practice for merchants and even nobility to enlist the services of local artists or musicians to craft an image of cultural sophistication, which had become a popular display of social status by the mid-16th century.

Other key developments from the Renaissance were greater skill specialization and new social classes. Large guilds and increasingly wealthy merchants made up a growing middle class within Glanish society, along with a social class referred to as frihholdr (tr. "freeholders"; meaning "landowners"). These classes became the first citizens among the common class who gained participation within political affairs. In time, the once institutionalized caste system became largely implied and the few legal ramifications that had existed for its disregard were gradually abolished. As a result, social mobility became relatively high by the mid-16th century. By the 1580s, it had become increasingly common for freeholders and merchants to marry their children to members of the aristocracy who were eager to gain the support of wealthy families.