Plate 2: The city of Rome taken by Constable of Bourbon, from the Triumphs of Charles V

Art Historical Context

This striking etching and engraving captures a pivotal moment from the Sack of Rome in 1527, when troops led by Charles de Bourbon, Constable of France, stormed the city during the conflicts of the Italian Wars. Created in 1614 as Plate 2 in the series *The Triumphs of Charles V*, the print commemorates the military campaigns associated with Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, whose forces ultimately benefited from the chaotic assault on the papal capital. The scene brims with dynamic action—soldiers on horseback wielding spears amid the turmoil—reflecting the era’s fascination with grand historical...