What were factors contributing to the start of the Renaissance in Europe?

Increased trade and the fall of Constantinople significantly contributed to the start of the Renaissance in Europe by creating an environment ripe for intellectual and cultural revival. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 led to an influx of Greek scholars into Italy, bringing with them important classical texts and knowledge, which reignited interest in ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, science, and arts.

Additionally, the surge in trade during this period allowed for greater wealth accumulation and the exchange of ideas, as merchants and traders traveled across Europe and the Mediterranean. Cities like Florence, Venice, and Genoa became wealthy centers of commerce, which facilitated patronage of the arts and scholarship. This fusion of increased wealth from trade and the rediscovery of classical knowledge laid the groundwork for the artistic and intellectual advancements of the Renaissance, including developments in humanism, literature, and the arts that characterized the era.