Become a member and save up to 33% on your program registration price! Join today If you are already a member, log in to access your member price. The Sack of Rome and the End of the Renaissance in Italy Evening Lecture/Seminar Tuesday, October 20, 2026 - 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. ET Code: 1H0928 Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Registration Options $20 Member $30 Gen. Admission Log in to register for this program or to add it to your wishlist! Log in Resize text The Triumphs of Charles V: Death of the Duke of Bourbon (detail) by Giulio Clovio, ca. 1550–1557 (British Library, London) 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. The sack marked the abrupt end of Rome’s High Renaissance golden age: balance, harmony, and classical optimism give way to anxiety, distortion, and spiritual intensity. In the aftermath, the papacy emerged weakened and increasingly constrained by imperial power. Clement VII’s dependence on Charles V would have repercussions far beyond Italy, setting King Henry VIII on the path to the English Reformation. At the same time, the trauma of 1527 sent artists fleeing from Rome, spreading a new and unsettled artistic language—Mannerism—across Europe. General Information View Common FAQs and Policies about our Online Programs on Zoom.
