Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino, Volume 3 (of 3) Illustrating the Arms, Arts, and Literature of Italy, from 1440 To 1630

"Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino, Volume 3 (of 3)" by James Dennistoun is a historical record that examines the reigns of the Dukes della Rovere, who governed Urbino between 1440 and 1630, along with their major impacts to Italian arms, arts, and literature. This volume emphasizes events like the sack of Rome and the intricate political situation in Italy. The book starts by putting you right in the middle of the sack of Rome, where the Pope's overconfidence and lack of military preparation left the city open to attack by Bourbon’s troops. When the attack starts, the story shows the people in all-out panic, the leaders messing up, and the awful reality of the sack itself, with violence acted out against the city's people. It’s an inside view of the power struggles and the effects of these historical events on 16th-century Italian culture.