The Sack of Rome

Abstract

On Holy Thursday, 18 April 1527, a devout multitude was assembled in the square in front of St Peter’s. According to an ancient custom of the Church a prelate read aloud the bull In Coena Domini before Clement raised his hand to pronounce the pontifical blessing. At that very moment a semi-naked man, whose wild red hair fell streaming to his shoulders, adorned with a halter round his neck, a crucifix in one hand and a death’s-head in the other, who had managed to clamber up onto the statue of St Paul, shouted to the pope: ‘Thou bastard of Sodom, for thy sins Rome shall be destroyed. Repent and turn thee ! If thou wilt not believe me, in fourteen days thou shalt see it.’ In this somewhat flamboyant way, the Sienese fanatic Brandano announced his arrival in Rome. His fame had, no doubt, preceded him, for’he had already had a long career as a popular prophet and supposed worker of miracles. For years he had wandered through Italy attacking the general iniquity of men and threatening the wrath of God in the shape of war, plague and other terrible visitations. In those troubled days in Italy his vague prophecies had only too often been fulfilled. Now, with cries of woe, he announced to Rome the certain downfall of its priests, the death of the pope, the destruction of the city and the renewal of the Church.

The ruin of this most forlorn city.

Sanuto