The Renaissance brought a significant transformation in the writing of history by introducing a humanistic and largely secular approach to understanding the past. Medieval historiography was mainly shaped by religious beliefs, where historical events were interpreted as part of God’s divine plan. During the Renaissance, however, historians began to emphasise human actions, motives, and institutions as key forces shaping history.

Humanism played a central role in this change. Renaissance scholars studied history to derive practical, moral, and political lessons rather than to illustrate divine intervention. Francesco Petrarch, one of the earliest humanist historians, criticised medieval history as an age of decline and looked back to classical Rome for inspiration. His works aimed at moral and political instruction and contributed to the development of source criticism by exposing forged documents.

Thinkers like Niccolo Machiavelli and Francesco Guicciardini used history as a guide for governance and statecraft, emphasising recurring political patterns and individual character. Additionally, Renaissance historians widened the scope of history to include non-European cultures and new themes such as art, commerce, and technology. Overall, the Renaissance laid the foundations for modern, critical, and human-centered historiography.