The Sack of Rome by Luigi Guiccardini. Translated and Edited by James H. McGregor. Italica Press, 1993. ISBN 0-934977-32-1. (paperback).

The sack of Rome in 1527 was one of the most dramatic events of the Italian Wars. It marked both the end of the Italian Renaissance and the beginning of foreign domination of Italy that was to last until the nineteenth century.

The sack had its origins in the aftermath of the crushing French defeat at Pavia in 1525. Fearful of unchecked imperial power the Italian states formed the League of Cognac to oppose Charles V. In response the Emperor unleashed an army of Landskneckts on Italy under the command ofHistory of Italy'). As the translator points out it is the only contempory account that describes the political and military situation that culminated in the sack of Rome.

In making his translation the editor has taken the liberty of breaking up Guiccardini's cumbersome sentences and paragraphs to make the text more approachable to the modern reader. The result is quite readable as the following extract describing the assault on Rome illustrates :

"When the Spaniards saw Signor Renzo [the commander of Rome's defences] fleeing so timidly, along with all those who were assigned to defend the walls and the ramparts, they immediately called in the bulk of the Spanish forces who were still outside the city. Together they formed a unified and well-organised attack force that was determined to make full use of its advantage.

Their only goal was to kill whomever they encountered. Any soldier or officer of the Church whom they overtook (because he was not among the cowards who fled immediately), recognizing no other way to save his own life, in the confusion blended in with the victors and joined them in pursuing those who fled. Thus in a very short time, the imperial forces took the Borgo and the Trastevere, suffering very few casualties in the process. Having killed about a thousand of the defenders, they were able to establish control over the others who lived there.

Meanwhile in a great rush the rest of the army swarmed in, climbing over the low places in the walls and the abandoned ramparts. They also entered through Porta S.Pancrazio, which had been beaten in and shattered. Once inside, they paused awhile to recover their strength and to refresh themselves with the abundance of food that they found there."

In conclusion I would recommend this work to society members as a valuable primary source of the Italian Wars that is both readable and inexpensive.

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