Amajor reason why the renaissance began in northern italy was the a. desire of the papacy, which controlled this area, to encourage the arts as a means of glorifying god. b. region's stable political situation, under the firm control and protection of the holy roman emperor. c. region's surplus of wealth, to support learning, culture, and the arts. d. region's lack of a previous cultural tradition, which led inhabitants to seek to overcome this relative inferiority.