Europe, Idea of

The idea of Europe as a specific geographic, cultural, and political region took shape during the Renaissance. Several factors led to this development, including the threat of Muslim invasion, the rise of powerful states in Europe, and the founding of overseas empires by Europeans. The emergence of a new identity for the continent changed the ways in which Europeans viewed their own states and related to the rest of the world.

During the Middle Ages, rulers and scholars tended to use the word Christendom—meaning the region where Christianity was practiced—to refer to the continent of Europe. The Muslim lands surrounding Christendom determined its borders. However, in the late Middle Ages, the idea of Christendom began to disintegrate as Muslim invaders gained control of parts of the continent. Muslim armies invaded Spain in the 700s, briefly held Sicily in the 800s, and conquered the kingdoms of the Balkan Peninsula (Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Serbia) in the 1300s and 1400s.

The word Europe came into use around 1400. A secular* term, it originated in ancient myth and tradition as a name for the small continent west of Asia and north of Africa. In Greek mythology, the god Zeus rapes a beautiful woman named Europa and takes her to a land in the west. According to Jewish tradition, the descendants of one of Noah's sons settled in Europe. The word caught on during the Renaissance as influential leaders and humanists* adopted it. In 1461 Pope PIUS II referred to the continent as Europe in a letter to Muhammed II, ruler of the OTTOMAN EMPIRE. The pope also described the area's inhabitants as Europeans, rather than Christians. This use of the term reinforced the emerging status of Europe as a cultural and political region.

Another factor that reinforced the idea of Europe was the global exploration that took place in the 1500s. Increasing contact with other parts of the world made Europeans more aware of their own geographic and cultural identity. Renaissance writers tended to describe Europe as more fertile, populous, and culturally advanced than other parts of the world. Illustrations of the time depicted Europe as a magnificently crowned figure, carrying complex weapons and scientific equipment. In comparison, other continents were shown as less powerful and sophisticated.

Various Renaissance intellectual movements contributed to the rise of a European identity. The use of Latin encouraged the exchange of ideas among scholars and the development of a shared point of view. A renewed emphasis on classical* texts led scholars to study the works of the ancient Greek geographer Strabo. In Strabo's view Europe was distinguished from other continents by certain characteristics, including climate and cultural diversity, which made it superior. Meanwhile, writers such as the Italian statesman and political philosopher Niccolò MACHIAVELLI studied political developments in Europe. According to Machiavelli, Europe's cultures and political systems were much more diverse than those of other continents. By the 1600s, most scholars had adopted the concept of a European identity. However, it took most of that century for the idea to become more widely accepted.