House Water's Winning Star Wars Scenario

Charles V’s forces in Italy were led by the Duke of Bourbon. After warring in Italy and with no money to pay the troops, they marched toward Rome. It is disputed whether this was the idea of the Duke of Bourbon or whether the troops cajoled him into leading them to Rome. Rome was believed to be the richest city in Italy.

The initial attack did not take long at all. Charles V’s troops, led by the Duke of Bourbon in his white cloak, marched on the walls at dawn on 6 May 1527. The Duke may have made an easy target because of his white cloak, and either by luck on the Roman side or excellent marksmanship, the Duke died very early in the battle. Charles V’s army, made up of mercenaries from mostly Spain and Germany, were now without a leader whom they feared.

Breaching the city gate did not take long, and, just like that, Charles V’s troops were inside, wreaking havoc.Some of them made for the Vatican, with an aim to attack and do who-knows-what to Clement VII. Heading up the road of Borgo San Spirito, the invaders clashed with the Swiss Guard by the German Cemetery, killing the Swiss captain in front of his wife.  The invaders continued on to the Vatican.

At the Vatican, 189 Swiss Guard valiantly protected Clement VII, who, with 42 of the Swiss Guard, escaped to Castel St. Angelo through a secret, elevated passage linking St. Peter’s and the Castel. The remaining Swiss Guard were massacred inside St. Peter’s. To this day, in honor of those who died fulfilling their duties to the Pope, new members of the Swiss Guard are sworn in each year on 6 May.

The Prior of the Canons of St. Augustine described Charles V’s troops, “Mali fuere Germani, pejores Itali, Hispani vero pessimi,” meaning, “The Germans were bad, the Italians were worse, the Spaniards were the worst.”