Petrarch is known as the father of what school of thought?

Petrarch is widely known as the father of humanism.

The Italian poet and scholar Francesco Petrarca, known in English as Petrarch, helped launch Renaissance humanism through his interest in classical literature, moral philosophy, and the study of human character. He lived from 1304 to 1374 and became one of the earliest major figures of the Italian Renaissance.

Petrarch searched for and recovered ancient Latin manuscripts, including letters by Cicero. His work encouraged scholars to study Greek and Roman authors as sources of eloquence, ethical reflection, and civic wisdom. This emphasis on human experience and classical learning became central to Renaissance humanist culture.

He is also famous for his Italian sonnets about Laura, collected largely in Il Canzoniere. His poetry influenced writers across Europe and helped establish the form later called the Petrarchan sonnet. Some references also call him the father of the Renaissance, but “humanism” is the standard answer to this question.