Episode 249 is on the Sack of Rome, a hugely important event that changed the course of history, both in Italy, and as far away as Tudor England, when Henry VIII was unable to get his divorce because the Pope was being held a virtual prisoner.
On the morning of May 6th, 1527, the city of Rome awoke, beautiful spring day, unimaginable nightmare. The walls of the Eternal City, long seen as impregnable, were suddenly breached by an army of 20, 000 men under the banner of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. Hello, my friend, and welcome to the Renaissance English History Podcast, a part of the Agora Podcast Network, and the longest running Tudor history podcast, telling stories of Tudor England since 2009.
I am your host, Heather Teysko, and I’m a storyteller who makes history accessible because I believe it’s a pathway to understanding who we are, our place in the universe, and being more deeply in touch with our own humanity. This is episode 249. We are talking about the Sack of Rome, something that did not happen in Tudor England, but very much affected everything that was going on in Tudor England because this was also right at the time that Henry VIII first started to float the idea of leaving Catherine of Aragon.
So we are going to talk today about the Sack of Rome, what it was, what led to it. and how it affected Henry and people in England. First, your reminder, TudorCon is coming up September 20th to 22nd. You can join us online. The in person tickets are sold out. You can come online, learn more, englandcast. com slash TudorCon online.
Very, very excited to have three days of nerding out on Tudor history with some of your new best friends from all over the world. And TudorCon and this podcast is sponsored by Armor and Castings right now. We are so happy to have them as a sponsor. They make beautiful accessories and jewelry, um, for Tudor outfits.
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Tutor. ArmoringCastings. com. Okay, so, back to Rome. These soldiers who are invading Rome are a volatile mix of battle hardened Spaniards, German Landesknechts, and Italians, and they had been driven to desperation by hunger and a lack of pay. As they poured through the city gates, chaos erupted. The streets of Rome, once a center of Renaissance grandeur, were quickly engulfed in violence, looting, and terror.
The sack that followed was unlike anything Rome had seen since the invasions of the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths and all of that that happened over a thousand years before. Churches were desecrated, palaces were looted, and the city’s inhabitants were subjected to unspeakable horrors. This was not just an attack on a city, it was an assault on the very heart of Christendom.
The impact of the Sack of Rome rippled far beyond Rome, marking a decisive end to the city’s renaissance splendor and setting the stage for major shifts in European power dynamics. This episode is going to explore the 1527 Sack of Rome in detail, examining how this catastrophic event marked a turning point in European history.
We will delve into the political and religious tensions that led to the Sack. The immediate consequences for Rome and its people and the broader implications for Europe with a particular focus on how the event influenced Henry VIII’s quest for a divorce from Catherine of Aragon, a pursuit that of course would eventually lead England to break from the Catholic Church altogether.
So let’s start and put things into political and military context. The Sack of Rome was the culmination of decades of conflict in Italy, primarily between the two most powerful monarchies in Europe, France and Spain. This struggle was known as the Italian Wars, and it began in 1494, and it had embroiled much of the continent in a protracted battle for dominance over the wealthy and fragmented Italian peninsula.
Italy, at this time, was a patchwork of city states. There wasn’t an Italy as we know it. Of course, there wasn’t Germany as we know it. These states had not yet solidified into a country as we would know it. So each city state was its own territory, had its own ruler. But many were under the influence of foreign powers like France and Spain.
At the center of this conflict was Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain. And also, of course, the nephew of Catherine of Aragon. By the 1520s, Charles had amassed an empire that stretched across much of Europe from the Spanish kingdoms and their territories in the Americas to the German states and the Netherlands.
His rival, Francois of France, sought to curb Charles’s power and extend French influence in Italy, particularly over the Duchy of Milan. Pope Clement VII was a member of the powerful Medici family, and he found himself caught in the middle of the struggle. Although he initially tried to remain neutral, the Pope eventually aligned with France, fearing the overwhelming power of Charles V.
This alliance, however, proved to be a disastrous decision. After a decisive defeat at the Battle of Pavia in 1525, where Francis I was captured, the balance of power shifted dramatically in favor of Charles. The Pope’s position became increasingly precarious as Charles forces, including a large contingent of unpaid and unruly mercenary soldiers, moved towards Rome, seeking plunder to satisfy their unmet wages.
The religious landscape of Europe was also in turmoil during this period, adding another layer of tension to the political conflict. The Protestant Reformation, ignited by Martin Luther’s 95 Theses in 1517, had begun to spread across Germany and beyond, Challenging the authority of the Catholic Church and the Pope.
The Holy Roman Empire was deeply divided, with many German princes converting to Lutheranism, while Charles V remained a staunch defender of Catholicism. Among Charles troops were the German Landesknechts, many of whom were sympathetic to Luther’s cause. Their participation in the sack of Rome was not merely a quest for riches, but also carried a symbolic significance.
A strike against the corrupt institution they saw in the papacy. The soldiers actions during the sack, including the desecration of churches and the humiliation of priests, reflected these underlying religious tensions. Adding to the complexity were the apocalyptic prophecies that surrounded Charles V.
Some saw him as a potential second Charlemagne, a ruler destined to unify Christendom under a single divinely ordained empire. This idea fueled a sense of inevitability and righteousness among his supporters who believed that they were carrying out a divine mission. While these dramatic events were unfolding on the continent, England was embroiled in its own crisis.
Henry VIII was desperate to secure his male heir and had become increasingly convinced that his marriage to Catherine of Aragon was invalid. Catherine, who had failed to produce a living male heir, was also Charles aunt, like we said, complicating things further. Cardinal Wolsey, Henry’s chief advisor, was tasked with securing an annulment from Pope Clement VII.
Wolsey’s diplomatic efforts in Rome were delicate and fraught with obstacles. Before the sack, negotiations were progressing, albeit very slowly, with Wolsey attempting to navigate the complex political landscape that involved Charles V’s influence over the Pope. However, the sack of Rome upended everything.
The Pope, taken hostage by Charles forces, was in no position to grant the annulment that Henry so desperately sought. This catastrophic event marked a turning point in Henry’s relationship with the papacy Eventually, leading him to break away from the Catholic Church and establish his own Church of England.
So let’s go to the initial assault itself. Like we said, the morning of May 6th, 1527, Rome was plunged into chaos. The Imperial Army, composed of 20, 000 men, had finally reached the city’s gates after weeks of marching and months of unpaid service. Among these troops were battle hardened Spaniards. The German Landesknechts and the Italian soldiers.
They were hungry, they were desperate, and they were eager for the spoils of war. Rome was woefully unprepared for this assault, and it was about to experience one of the darkest days in its long history. The attack began with a breach in the city walls near the Vatican. The defenders were a mix of local militia and hastily assembled forces, and they were no match for the seasoned and ferocious Imperial soldiers.
Within hours, the walls were overcome, and the city was laid open to the invaders. Troops poured into Rome, and their leader, Charles de Bourbon, was struck down in the initial assault, possibly by a shot from one of the city’s defenders. His death, far from stopping the invasion, only fueled the soldiers rage.
They were leaderless, they were untamed, and they unleashed a wave of violence and destruction that would stain the city for years to come. Rome was already struggling with inadequate defenses and internal divisions, and it quickly descended into chaos. The initial panic gave way to a systemic plundering as the soldiers roamed the streets, broke into homes, churches, and palaces, sought out valuables, and they vented their fury on the citizens.
The city that had once been the center of the civilized world was now at the mercy of an uncontrolled mob. The violence that followed the breach was nothing short of horrific. The imperial troops, driven by desperation and hunger, spared no one. Civilians were slaughtered in the streets. Those who were not killed outright were often subjected to torture.
The looting of Rome’s churches was particularly symbolic. The soldiers, many of whom were emboldened by the Protestant Reformation’s denunciation of the Catholic Church’s excesses. took great pleasure in desecrating the holy sites. Sacred relics were destroyed, altars were overturned, and the treasures of the church were either stolen or defiled.
The soldiers even stabbed their horses in the Sistine Chapel, a profound insult to the sanctity of the church and a clear sign that no place in Rome was safe from their wrath. The psychological impact on the residents of Rome was devastating. For many, the sack was not just a physical assault but a spiritual one, too.
The city had been the center of the Christian world, and it was now a place of horror and desecration. The sight of priests being humiliated in the streets, of holy relics being destroyed, it left citizens in a state of shock and despair. Rome had been violated in the most profound way possible, and its status as the heart of Christendom was deeply shaken.
It wasn’t just a devastating human tragedy, but it was also a cultural catastrophe. Rome was the cradle of the Renaissance. It was home to the most exquisite works of art and architecture in the world. The imperial troops, however, saw little value in these cultural treasures beyond their immediate monetary worth.
Churches and palaces filled with priceless works of art were ransacked, and many masterpieces were either stolen or destroyed. One of the most infamous acts of vandalism occurred in the Vatican itself. The soldiers, many of whom harbored deep resentment towards the Catholic Church, took particular delight in defacing its most sacred spaces.
Raphael’s frescoes in the Vatican, including the iconic School of Athens, were not spared. Soldiers carved graffiti into the walls, with some even scratching the name Luther into the frescoes, a chilling symbol of the religious tensions that underpinned the sack. These acts of desecration were not only an attack on the church, but also the very legacy of the Renaissance.
Artists who had once thrived in Rome were deeply affected by the destruction. Sebastiano del Piombo, a close associate of Michelangelo, was among those tasked with repairing the damage to the Vatican’s artworks. His letters from the time reveal a man profoundly changed by the horrors he witnessed. He described himself as no longer the same Sebastiano and struggled to restore the beauty that had been so brutally marred.
The psychological toll on these artists was immense. Many of them fled the city, taking with them the Renaissance spirit that had once made Rome a beacon of creativity. The long term impact on Rome’s cultural landscape was also severe. The city, which had been the epicenter of the Renaissance art and thought, entered a period of decline.
The artistic and intellectual vibrancy that had defined Rome was now overshadowed by the memories of violence and desecration. As artists and scholars left the city, Other European centers, like Venice and Florence, began to rise more in prominence, effectively marking the end of Rome’s dominance in the Renaissance.
While Rome was being ravaged, the effects of the sack were felt far beyond its walls, particularly in England. Henry was in the midst of his personal and political crisis and had been relying on Cardinal Wolsey to secure the annulment of his marriage to Catherine. Wolsey’s efforts had been painstaking as he navigated the complex and dangerous waters of European politics.
But the sack of Rome threw all of these plans into disarray. When news of the sack reached England, it caused an immediate crisis at Henry’s court. The Pope, now a prisoner of Charles V, was in no position to grant the annulment that Henry so desperately sought. Wolsey, who had pinned his hopes on diplomatic negotiations, suddenly found himself powerless.
The sack had not only devastated Rome, but also destroyed any chance of securing the Pope’s cooperation in Henry’s marital affairs. Henry’s frustration with the situation grew rapidly. He’d been waiting for years for a solution to his great matter and now it seemed further away than ever. The Pope’s captivity made it clear that any decision would be influenced by Charles V, who was Catherine’s nephew, and was unlikely to support Henry’s quest for a divorce.
This realization began to sow the seeds of discontent in Henry’s mind, contributing to his eventual decision to break away from the Catholic Church altogether. Wolsey, who had once been the most powerful man in England after the king, saw his influence rapidly diminish. Unable to deliver the annulment, he fell from favor, and by 1529 he was stripped of his titles and exiled from court.
The sack of Rome not only marked the end of the Renaissance in Italy, but it also set England on a path towards religious and political upheaval. Henry’s decision to break with Rome would eventually lead to the English Reformation, the movement that would forever change the religious landscape of England.
The events of 1527, though distant in geography, had a crucial role in shaping the future of England as the catastrophic sack of Rome indirectly paved the way for the creation of the Church of England. Now let’s talk about the aftermath. In the days and weeks following the sack of Rome, the city descended further into a nightmare of disease and famine.
The streets, already stained with blood, became breeding grounds for pestilence as the bodies of the dead were left unburied. The soldiers who had invaded Rome were ill equipped to deal with the aftermath of their own brutality and the city, deprived of its leaders and infrastructure, couldn’t cope with the disaster.
Starvation set in and the invaders had stripped the city of its food supplies and any semblance of order dissolved in the face of widespread desperation. The political fallout from the sack was equally devastating. Pope Clement VII, who had taken refuge in the castle Sant’Angelo, was eventually forced to surrender to Charles V’s forces.
His capture symbolized not just a personal humiliation, but also a significant weakening of the Papal States. Rome was the center of Catholic power, but it was now under control of the Holy Roman Emperor. The Pope was effectively a prisoner, and his ability to govern or influence European politics was severely compromised.
This marked a turning point in the power dynamics of Europe, with the Papacy losing much of its temporal authority. The long term effects were also profound, both for Italy and European culture. The destruction of the artistic and intellectual community was the end of the city’s preeminence in the Renaissance.
Artists, scholars, and patrons who had once flocked to Rome sought refuge and opportunity elsewhere. The cultural shift away from Rome was irreversible, and the city’s influence in European culture weaned as a result. So the sack of Rome had far reaching consequences, not only in Italy, but across Europe.
It marked the end of one era and the beginning of another, as the Renaissance gave way to new political and religious realities that would shape the course of history. The sack of Rome solidified Charles V’s dominance over Italy, and it marked a decisive turning point in the Italian Wars. With the Pope effectively under his control, Charles V established a hegemony that would influence the political landscape of Italy for years to come.
This event also played a crucial role in shaping the broader religious movements of the time. The devastation of Rome weakened the Catholic Church’s authority, contributing to the momentum of the Protestant Reformation, not just in England, but all over Europe. It also prompted the Catholic Counter Reformation, as the Church sought to reform itself and reassert its power.
Henry’s break from Rome, driven in part by the sack, became a crucial chapter in these broader movements, leading to the establishment of the Church of England and altering the religious trajectory of Europe. So the sack of Rome is a profound human tragedy. Close to 25, 000 civilians died in the sack of Rome.
Also, Rome had a population of about 55, 000 people before. And afterwards, it dropped to about 10, 000 people, so Rome was just decimated. The violence and destruction that unfolded over those harrowing weeks not only marked the end of Rome’s renaissance glory, but also reshaped the political and religious fabric of the continent.
This catastrophic event symbolized the intersection of power, faith, and culture in early modern Europe, highlighting the fragile nature of the political alliances and the unpredictable consequences of war. For Henry, it was a catalyst that pushed him towards a dramatic break with the Catholic Church.
The ripple effects of the sack of Rome were felt far and wide, influencing the fate of nations and the lives of countless individuals. So we will leave it there, my friends, the Sack of Rome, 1527, a tragic event for the civilian, horrific event for everybody involved. and massively shaped Europe, the end of one era and beginning of another.
So thank you so much for listening to me. I will end this here. Remember to check out TudorCon online tickets englandcast. com slash TudorCon online and also check out Armour and Castings for your Tudor jewelry and accessory needs. Tutor. ArmorandCastings. com. Thank you so much for listening. I hope you are having a wonderful week and I will be back to speak with you again very soon.
Bye bye.
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Heather Teysko is the creator, writer, and producer of The Renaissance English History Podcast,  the original Tudor history podcast, started in 2009. She's been writing about history online for over 25 years, since her first site on Colonial American history became number one in history on Yahoo in 1998. In 2019 she created Tudorcon, which is now a yearly event, in addition to writing books, and running TudorFair.com - a whimsical Tudor Merch shop. She has been passionate about Tudor England since she first read Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII 20 years ago, and subsequently moved to London after college to spend her time immersed in Tudor history.