If you mean the middle ages the it didn't really grant any freedom. People were kept simple minded and growth was not praised and learning for only for the rich (nobility) and church members. You were considered an outcast if you didn't go to church.
In addition to patronage, merchant families during the Renaissance began to "spread the ideas" of the Renaissance, but promoting the artwork was that based primarily in Florence outside of the region.
D he worked writing books and inheriting money but also ran a plantation so thats why I think thats the answer.
Actually most were happy to leave the swamp of trying to force peace onto the ever warring greeks