The Sack of Rome and the End of the Renaissance in Italy

In May 1527, Rome suffered one of the most devastating catastrophes in its long history. The Sack of Rome, carried out by mutinous imperial troops during the wars between Pope Clement VII and the emperor Charles V, was a moment of extraordinary violence that marked a turning point for Europe itself. Historian Ross King explores why the sack happened, what it revealed about the fragile balance of power in Renaissance Italy, and how it reshaped the political, religious. and artistic landscape of the continent.