Engineering an Empire
Da Vinci's World. In the late 15th and 16th centuries, alliances among various city-states continually shifted as foreign superpowers tried to sink their claws into Italy. France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire fought out their battles with each other on Italian soil, while the threat of the Turks lurked off the shores of Venice. The masters who are most known for creating the works of art and architecture of the Renaissance, were also the greatest military and civil engineers of the time. With a knowledge of the ancients and a thirst for new invention, engineering rose to heights not seen since the Roman Empire - advancing methods in everything from civilian projects, to architecture, and finally - to war. This film examines some of the great engineering feats accomplished in the late 15th and 16th centuries in Italy: the creation of a vast underground aqueduct system in Siena, the Building of the cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore by Brunelleschi, and the advancement of fortification and firepower by engineers like Sangallo and di Giorgio.
| Episode 14 - Da Vinci's World |
| Related Links |
| Italian Renaissance - wikipedia The Italian Renaissance was the earliest manifestation of the general European Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement that began in Italy during the 14th century and lasted until the 16th century, marking the transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe. |
| The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance This film tells the story of a violent, dramatic and compelling age; a critical turning point in Western history. |
Go to Engineering an Empire Home or watch other episodes: