Probably one the most powerful men in Italy during the Renaissance, he was a politician, businessman, and de facto ruler of Florence. He was a patron of many of the great artists and scholars of the era including Botticelli and Michelangelo

During the Renaissance, this German priest published his "96 Theses," which detailed a list of problems within the Catholic Church. This lead to the birth of the Protestant Reformation

This man was a polymath, engineer and painter among other things. Some of his works include the Vitruvian man, a flying machine and The Last Supper.

This Frenchman was a mathematician, scientist and philosopher. He was one of the founders of rationalism, believed in a mind-body connection, and famously stated "I think therefore I am."

One of the most important inventions of the Renaissance was this device that allowed for mass communication and an explosion in written books. It was created by Johannes Guttenberg in 1440.

The largest literary figure of the English Renaissance. He introduced over 1,700 words to the English language that are still used today and is known for his poems and plays such as Macbeth and Hamlet.

This Italian was a diplomat, historian, but most notably a political philosopher. After the Medici family retook Florence, he was tortured and banished by them, but then dedicated his greatest work, the Prince, to Lorenzo de Medici.

Astronomer, physicist and engineer, this man is known as "the father of observational astronomy." After developing an advanced telescope he wrote a book about his discoveries and stating that the Sun is the center of the solar system.

Probably one of the best known people of the "Age of Exploration." This man set sail to look for a route to India, but ended up finding the Bahamas and the New World

This disease wiped out 1/4-1/3 of Europe's population. However, it probably caused laborers to get paid more, led to a middle class and sowed the seeds of the Renaissance.

This disease wiped out 1/4-1/3 of Europe's population. However, it probably caused laborers to get paid more, led to a middle class and sowed the seeds of the Renaissance.

Born in Prussia, in what is now modern day Poland, he was interested in math and physics. His works and astronomical observations led him to believe the sun was at the center of the solar system, which he published in a book while dying.