Why did the Renaissance happen in northern Italy?

Answer 1

It was away from Rome, which meant away from the Pope, which meant away from the Church, which meant that people could get away with more secular ideas and not feel the wrath of the Papacy.


Besides the fact that the Crusades had just ended and what with all the soldiers coming home from foreign, far-off places, ideas the Europeans never would have thought of were suddenly flooding the local talk.

Answer 2

it was the center of trade routes from the mideast and north africa, thus being exposed to other cultures, artistic traditions, philosophies, and scientific knowledge.