[wagglebee]

The Black Death played a huge role in the emergence of the middle class in much of Europe. However, the main things that brought about the Renaissance were, as you mentioned, the fall of Constantinople, the opening of trade routes to the Orient and the Catholic Church changing the definition of usury from not being allowed to charge any interest to a prohibition against excessive interest.

[americanophile]

Agreed. I am always amused that Christianity is so frequently blamed for the Dark Ages, but the fact that Christianity actually kept the flame of learning and literacy alive is totally lost on these ‘historians.’

[Tax-chick]

the Catholic Church changing the definition of usury from not being allowed to charge any interest to a prohibition against excessive interest.

The presenter on my "War and World History" lectures emphasized this change in finance. It's a very interesting point with many ramifications.

[combat_boots]

I’ve got a theory that the rise of the West came from storytellers who brought bits of odd things, herbs, a piece of jewelry. Troubadors and such. That, and the break that came in the Mass in Latin that portrayed the Passion of Christ in the local languages.

I figure people who were trying to escape whatever, or had that feeling of wanting to explore, just plain got curious. A couple of them hit pay dirt.

Of course, gun powder helped.........