Rome Falls: Imperial Sack Ends Papal Security
Imperial troops stormed Rome's walls on May 6, 1527, after their commander Duke Charles died from a stray bullet while wearing his conspicuous white cloak. His death shattered military discipline, allowing looting soldiers to overrun the city and massacre nearly all 189 Papal Swiss Guard defending St. Peter's Basilica. This brutal sack forced Pope Clement VII to flee through the secret Passetto di Borgo corridor, permanently altering the political landscape of the Italian Wars.
May 6, 1527
499 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on May 6
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