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The chances in the duel seemed unevenly distributed. On the one hand there was the 26-year-old goldsmith Benvenuto Cellini, who was also more concerned with music than with the weapons trade. On the other hand, Charles III. de Bourbon-Montpensier (1490–1527), who fought in battles as a 19-year-old and later commanded entire armies. On May 6, 1527, both are said to have met at the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome, Cellini with a hook box in hand. The artist was faster than the general - and the Sacco di Roma took its course.

Or maybe it was just desperation that drove Bourbon to his death.

Because the army whose command he was in command no longer followed him.

It is true that the German mercenaries and the Spanish and Italian mercenaries had achieved a triumph for Emperor Charles V with their victory over Francis I of France at Pavia in 1525, which culminated in the capture of the French king.

But since then the general political climate had changed dramatically and - more importantly - the wages had largely failed to materialize.

The Sacco di Roma shook contemporaries badly

Source: picture alliance / akg-images

Bourbon was particularly affected by the turnover of the alliances.

Coming from a noble family, he had risen to become one of the richest landowners and connétables in France by marrying a Bourbon heiress who died at an early age.

But Franz I and his mother from the House of Valois also made claims to the huge legacy of the branch line, with success, because they had the longer handle.

The disgruntled Bourbon then offered his services to Charles V, who, as King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor, was seen by Francis as the greatest obstacle to his expansion plans.

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The reward for changing sides was also not without.

Bourbon would not only get Provence and Dauphiné, but also the hand of Charles' sister Eleanor, who was Queen of Portugal.

Together with his legacy in Auvergne, this would have created a real kingdom.

Before that, however, Franz had to be militarily defeated.

The imperial army suffered a setback in front of Marseille.

With Fernando di Pescara, Bourbon was able to bring the army to Pavia, which was besieged by the French.

The decisive factor was the attack by the German mercenaries who had led Georg von Frundsberg across the Alps and who showed themselves to be superior to Franz's Swiss rice walkers.

Concerned about Charles V's enormous gain in power, France, Milan, Florence, Venice and Pope Clement VII then came together in the League of Cognac.

Instead of the promised lands including his wife, Bourbon was commissioned to maintain the imperial position in northern Italy.

Although the conquest of Milan was successful, the difficult supply situation had an increasingly negative effect on the discipline of his troops.

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Frundsberg was still able to appease his people with difficulty, but suffered a heart attack during a speech and died.

From then on, Bourbon was only driven by his own soldiers.

After the capture of Florence failed, the soldiers decided to get supplies and treasures in Rome.

Bourbon was forced to go with them.

It is unclear why he himself took part in the storming of the poorly defended city.

Perhaps he wanted to prove himself to his men and thereby at least regain some authority.

After his death, however, the mercenaries ran wild and slaughtered and raped their way through the city.

Most of her art treasures were lost in the Sacco di Roma.

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"Assassin" is the first season of the WELT History Podcast.

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