The primary factor that contributed to the start of the Renaissance was growing wealth in the cities. This wealth, particularly in city-states like Florence, Venice, and Milan, fostered a flourishing of art, culture, and learning, as wealthy patrons sponsored artists and intellectuals.
The other options, such as increased study of religion, might have played a role but were not as pivotal in initiating the Renaissance as the wealth generated by urban centers. The movement of townspeople to rural areas and the growing wealth of manors outside cities did not contribute positively to the goals of the Renaissance, which was characterized by urban revival and a focus on humanism, art, and sciences primarily in urban settings.