Sack of Rome (1527): Difference between revisions
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{{Nofootnotes|date=December 2007}} |
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{{Infobox Military Conflict |
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|conflict=Sack of Rome |
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|image= |
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|caption= |
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|partof=the [[War of the League of Cognac]] |
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|date=[[May 6]], [[1527]] |
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|place=[[Rome]], [[Italy]] |
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|result=Decisive Imperial victory |
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|combatant1=[[Papal States]] |
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|combatant2=[[Holy Roman Empire]],<br>[[Spain]] |
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|commander1=[[Clement VII]],<BR>[[Kaspar Röist]]†<BR>[[Renzo da Ceri]] |
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|commander2=[[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]] |
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[[Charles III, Duke of Bourbon|Charles III, 8th duc de Bourbon]]† |
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|strength1=5,000 militia, 500 [[Swiss Guard]]s |
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|strength2=20,000 regulars |
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|casualties1=500 dead, wounded, or captured,<br>45,000 civilians dead, wounded, or exiled |
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|casualties2=Unknown |
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}} |
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{{Campaignbox War of the League of Cognac}} |
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The '''Sack of [[Rome]]''' on [[6 May]] [[1527]] by the troops of [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]], marked a crucial imperial victory in the conflict between the [[Holy Roman Empire]] and the [[League of Cognac]] (1526–1529) — the alliance of [[France]], [[Milan]], [[Venice]], [[Florence]] and the [[Papacy]]. |
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==Background== |
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[[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 to be 'Imperial domination' by the Holy Roman Empire. |
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The army of the Holy Roman Emperor defeated the French army in [[Italy]], but funds were not available to pay the soldiers. The 34,000 Imperial troops mutinied, and forced their commander, [[Charles III, Duke of Bourbon]] and [[Constable of France]], to lead them towards Rome. Apart from some 6,000 Spaniards under the Duke, the army included some 14,000 [[Landsknecht]]s under [[Georg von Frundsberg]], some Italian infantry led by [[Fabrizio Maramaldo]], [[Sciarra Colonna]] and [[Luigi Gonzaga]], and some cavalry under [[Ferdinando Gonzaga]] and Philibert, Prince of Chalons. Though [[Martin Luther]] himself was not in favor of it, some who considered themselves followers of Luther viewed the Papal capital as a target for religious reasons, and shared with the soldiers an avaricious desire for the sacking and pillage of a city that appeared to be an easy target. Numerous bandits, along with the League's deserters, joined with the army during the march. The bandits contributed to the fight because of their charisma and will to fight. |
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The Duke left [[Arezzo]] on [[April 20]], [[1527]], taking advantage of the chaos among the Venetians and their allies after a revolt which had broken out in [[Republic of Florence|Florence]] against the [[Medici]]s. In this way, the largely undisciplined troops sacked [[Acquapendente]] and [[San Lorenzo alle Grotte]], and occupied [[Viterbo]] and [[Ronciglione]], reaching the walls of Rome on [[May 5]]. |
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==The Sack== |
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The troops defending Rome were not at all numerous, consisting of 5,000 militiamen led by [[Renzo da Ceri]] and the Papal [[Swiss Guard]]. The city's fortifications included the massive [[Aurelian Walls|walls]], and it possessed a good artillery force, which the Imperial army lacked. Duke Charles needed to conquer the city hastily, to avoid the risk of being trapped between the besieged city and the League's army. |
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On [[May 6]], the Imperial army attacked the walls at the [[Gianicolo]] and [[Vatican Hill]]s. Duke Charles was fatally wounded in the assault, allegedly shot by [[Benvenuto Cellini]]. The death of the last respected command authority among the army caused any restraint in the soldiers to disappear, and they easily captured the walls of Rome the same day. One of the [[Swiss Guard]]'s most notable hours occurred at this time. Almost the entire guard was massacred by Imperial troops 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 (rione of Rome)|Borgo]]'', a [[secret passage|secret corridor]] which still links the [[Vatican City]] to [[Castel Sant'Angelo]]. |
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After the execution of some 1,000 defenders, the pillage began. Churches and monasteries, but also palaces of prelates and cardinals, were destroyed and spoiled of any precious object. Nuns and other women were freely raped; men were tortured and killed. Even the pro-imperial cardinals had to pay to save their riches from the ruthless soldiers. On [[May 8]], [[Pompeo Cardinal Colonna]], a personal enemy of Clement, entered the city. He was followed by peasants from his fiefs, who had come to revenge the sacks they had previously suffered by Papal order. However, Colonna was touched by the pitiful conditions of the city and hosted in his palace a number of Roman citizens. |
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After three days of ravages, Phillisuon ordered the sack to cease, but few of the soldiers obeyed. In the meantime, Clement continued to be prisoner in Castel Sant'Angelo. [[Francesco Maria I della Rovere|Francesco Maria della Rovere]] and [[Michele Antonio I of Saluzzo|Michele Antonio of Saluzzo]] arrived with some troops on [[June 1]] in [[Monterosi]], north of the city. Their probably too cautious behaviour prevented them from obtaining an easy victory against the now totally undisciplined Imperials. On [[June 6]], Clement surrendered, and agreed to pay a ransom of 400,000 [[ducato (coin)|ducati]] in exchange of his life; conditions included the cession of Parma, Piacenza, Civitavecchia and Modena to the Holy Roman Empire (however, only the latter could be occupied in fact). At the same time Venice took advantage of his situation to capture [[Cervia]] and [[Ravenna]], while [[Sigismondo Malatesta]] returned in [[Rimini]]. |
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==Aftermath== |
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Charles V 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 Charles V, avoiding decisions that could displease him (for example, he refused [[Henry VIII of England]] an [[annulment]] because Catherine of Aragon was the aunt of Charles ([[Charles V]] Holy Roman Emperor and [[Charles I of Spain]])). |
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This marked the end of the Roman [[Renaissance]], damaged the papacy's prestige and freed Charles V's 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). |
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In commemoration of the Sack and the Guard's bravery, new recruits to the Swiss Guard are sworn in on [[6 May]] every year. |
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==In fiction== |
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* 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. |
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* The sack also described in the early part of ''Ines of My Soul'' (2006) a historical novel by [[Isabel Allende]], from the point of view of [[Pedro de Valdivia]], as a captain in the attacking army who tried to keep the troops from mutiny. (Spanish Original: ''Ines del Alma Mía'') |
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* Finnish writer Mika Waltari included a chapter regarding the sack of Rome in his historical novel ''[[The Adventurer]]'' (Finnish original: ''Mikael Karvajalka''). |
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*In the film ''[[Batman Begins]]'', the [[League of Shadows]] claim responsibility for the sack. |
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* It is also part of the novel ''De scharlaken stad'' by Dutch writer [[Hella S. Haasse]]. |
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* These events form the background to chapter 42 of [[Stephen Baxter]]'s 2003 science fiction novel ''[[Coalescent]]''. |
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* [[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. |
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*'' [[Testacles and ye Sack of Rome]]'', a comedy in one act performed by Sound And Fury (Richard Maritzer, founder and troupe leader), has played at various [[Renaissance fair]]s. |
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*The 1527 Sack has an important role in the early episodes of comics series ''[[Dago (comics)|Dago]]''. |
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*The Sack of Rome is discussed in Richard Powers's novel Operation Wandering Soul. |
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*Ferruccio Cerio's ''The Barbarians'' (1958) with Pierre Cressy |
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*Amin Maalouf's "Leo Africanus" (translated from French by Peter Sluglett) |
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* In his Prologue to ''Hecatommithi'' (1565), [[Giambattista Giraldi]] draws on the sack of Rome. |
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*''[[:it:Rinascimento privato|Rinascimento privato]]'' by [[:it:Maria Bellonci|Maria Bellonci]] features the life of [[Isabella d'Este]] including witness to the sack of Rome. |
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==References== |
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* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4630898.stm Pope's guards celebrate 500 years], [[BBC News Online]]; dated and retrieved [[22 January]] [[2006]] |
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* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4980362.stm Vatican's honour to Swiss Guards], [[BBC News Online]]; dated and retrieved [[6 May]] [[2006]] |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rome 1527}} |
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[[Category:1527]] |
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[[Category:Battles of the Italian Wars]] |
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[[Category:Battles involving the Papal States]] |
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[[Category:Battles involving the Holy Roman Empire]] |
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[[Category:Battles involving Spain]] |
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[[ca:Saqueig de Roma (1527)]] |
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[[de:Sacco di Roma]] |
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[[et:Sacco di Roma]] |
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[[es:Saco de Roma]] |
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[[fr:Sac de Rome]] |
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[[id:Jatuhnya Roma Tahun 1527]] |
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[[it:Sacco di Roma (1527)]] |
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[[nl:Plundering van Rome]] |
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[[ja:ローマ略奪]] |
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[[pt:Saque de Roma (1527)]] |
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[[sl:Plenitev Rima]] |
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[[fi:Rooman ryöstö (1527)]] |
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[[sv:Roms skövling]] |
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Revision as of 01:26, 14 February 2008
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