In England, the Elizabethan Era is considered to been the beginning of the English Renaissance.

An international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts, skills and traditions of pre-17th-century Europe, the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) was established in 1966.

A huge cultural revolution, the European Renaissance began in Italy in the Late Middle Ages, approximately the 14th century AD, and during the next three centuries spread throughout Europe.

"Metaphysical poetry" is a description of a type of poetry ascribed to a group of English poets of the 16th and 17th centuries.

One of the deadliest pandemics in history, the "Black Death" is often credited as one of the major factors leading to the European Renaissance.

Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, better known to us today as Donatello, is one of the best known sculptors of the Renaissance.

The Renaissance era is marked by extensive European innovation in many areas of study. While many people think first of developments in the arts, religion and philosophy, the Renaissance is also marked by a large number of inventions by the scientific community.

"No English sovereign, before or since, has so captured the imagination of his or her people or so roused their patriotic feelings." - Alison Weir

During the Renaissance, holidays were much treasured not only for their religious significance, but for the extra opportunity they afforded people of the working classes to enjoy a day of leisure.

Twelfth Night, celebrated twelve nights after Christmas Eve, was considered the close of Christmas-time and/or winter holiday celebrations. During the Renaissance, Twelfth Night was considered a much larger celebratory occasion than Christmas itself.