The Closing of a Century - Spread throughout Northern Europe

Florence was almost brought to a halt because of conflicting factions within the City. Many new achievements had taken place such as the invention of the printing press, the founding of the Americas and a thriving art revival. To keep the Florentine masses politically and economically in line, Lorenzo de Medici not only followed his family's traditional strategy of sponsoring impressive civic works but also, much like a roman emporer, tried to keep the citizens minds off their subjection by treating them to lavish events with food and entertainment.
The styles and techniques from Florence spread eventually to the rest of Europe, in the Northern sections especially, it was accepted with open arms. This is to be the beginnings of Flemish styles.