Sack of Rome (1527)
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| War of the League of Cognac |
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| Rome – Naples – Landriano – Florence – Gavinana |
The Sack of Rome of 6 May 1527 by the troops of Charles V marked a crucial imperial victory in the conflict between the Holy Roman Emperor and the League of Cognac (1526–1529) — the alliance of France, Milan, Venice, Florence and the Papacy.
Pope Clement VII had given his support to France in an attempt to alter the balance of power in the region, and free the Papacy from what many considered 'Imperial domination'. The Holy Roman Emperor defeated the French army in Italy, but was subsequently unable to pay his forces, so 20,000 mutinous Imperial troops (or Landsknechts) attacked Rome in protest, pillaging and raping for over a month. The Imperial force was largely Lutheran.
Charles was greatly embarrassed and powerless to stop his troops, but he was not displeased by the fact that they had struck decisively against Pope Clement and imprisoned him. Clement VII was to spend the rest of his life trying to avoid conflict with the Emperor, avoiding making decisions that could displease him (e.g. granting Henry VIII of England an annulment).
This marked the end of the Roman Renaissance, damaged the papacy's prestige and freed Charles' hands to act against the Reformation in Germany. Nevertheless, Martin Luther commented: "Christ reigns in such a way that the Emperor who persecutes Luther for the Pope is forced to destroy the Pope for Luther" (LW 49:169).
Charles III, 8th duc de Bourbon and Constable of France, was killed during the sack.
One of the Swiss Guard's most notable hours occurred at this time. Almost the entire guard was massacred by troops of the Holy Roman emperor Charles V on the steps of St Peter's Basilica. Of 189 guards on duty only 42 survived, but their bravery ensured that Clement VII escaped to safety, down the passetto di Borgo, a secret corridor which still links the Vatican City to Castel Sant'Angelo.
In commemoration of the Sack and the Guard's bravery, new recruits to the Swiss Guard are sworn in on 6 May every year.
In fiction
- The sack is told in the final part of La Lozana Andaluza, a Spanish novel by Francisco Delicado describing the adventures of an Andalusian prostitute in the corrupt city.
- Famous writer Mika Waltari included a chapter regarding the sack of Rome in his great historical novel The Adventurer (Finnish original - "Mikael Karvajalka").
- It is also part of the novel De scharlaken stad by Dutch writer Hella S. Haasse.
- These events form the background to chapter 42 of Stephen Baxter's 2003 science fiction novel Coalescent.
- Sarah Dunant's novel titled In the company of the courtesan begins with the sack of Rome and a graphic depiction of rape and pillage that continued unabated for months on end.
- Testacles and ye Sack of Rome, a hilarious play in one act performed by Sound And Fury (Richard Maritzer, founder and troupe leader), has played at various Renaissance fairs.
References
- [Pope's guards celebrate 500 years], BBC News Online; dated and retrieved 22 January 2006
- [Vatican's honour to Swiss Guards], BBC News Online; dated and retrieved 6 May 2006
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